The biggest question mark on the Nuggets’ roster is the backup point guard spot, and in a few of their losses, they’ve shown a jarring inability to hold onto the ball. But on Saturday night, with a few guys out, Bruce Brown stepped into the backup point guard role perfectly, dishing out 10 assists with only one turnover.
When Russell Westbrook left in free agency, the Nuggets never truly filled his spot. Going into the season, they have just Jalen Pickett as a true point guard behind Jamal Murray. Bringing Brown back was thought to help, as we famously saw him lead bench units during the 2023 title run.
But he’s not a true point guard by nature, and he didn’t show much during the past two seasons in Indiana, Toronto, and New Orleans. There was a healthy and justifiable skepticism about Brown taking on the full-time backup role - an important one for a team with championship aspirations.
The start of the season has been okay, but rocky, and with injuries piling up to multiple starters in Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon, there’s definitely a need for steady ball-handling and playmaking off the bench.
Matt Moore reported Nuggets were interested in backup PG
Matt Moore already reported earlier in the season for FanSided that the Nuggets were looking for a backup point guard, so it’s clearly something the team is eyeing. But what if the solution to the problem was already on the roster?
Sure, it’s just one game, but at this point in his career, Brown has the necessary discipline and experience, mixed with a step back in athleticism, to transition his role somewhat and become more of a true facilitator.
The Nuggets have enough of a runway to at least give it a chance. They’ve got a great point guard in Murray, and obviously, another elite offensive hub in Jokic. It’s not like they need Brown to step into a James Harden-type role or anything like that. They just need steadying minutes running the show, keeping the offense afloat, and limiting turnovers.
Whether or not Brown can do that on a nightly basis remains to be seen, but nights last Saturday are a big step in the right direction. Denver doesn’t have a lot to trade, so being able to fill this hole internally would be a massive win for the organization.