The Nuggets started off their five-game homestand with a 129-119 loss to a feisty Bulls team, their fifth straight game playing without the reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic. The shorthanded Denver squad played in Houston the night before and looked completely gassed by the end of this one.
The Nuggets battled in this one, jumping out to a big first-quarter lead and keeping the game tied going into the fourth quarter. But Chicago started torching the Nuggets’ defense in the second half, raining three-pointers, and cleaning up with offensive rebounds on the rare occasions when they missed.
Along with Jokic, Denver was also playing without starting power forward Aaron Gordon who sat out the second leg of the back-to-back as he continues to manage a calf injury that has plagued him all year. So, there was plenty of opportunity for the Nuggets on Monday night, and one player in particular seized the bull by the horns.
Peyton Watson needs to play more
The biggest beneficiary of opportunity was Peyton Watson who logged a team-high 39 minutes. He put in 24 points, collected 6 rebounds, and blocked four shots. He shot 8/12 from the field, 2/4 from three, and finished with an even 0 +/- in a game that his team lost by 10 points.
Watson has had an up-and-down third season in the NBA, showing great flashes, but he still hasn’t earned the full trust of his coach. Malone has played Watson under 24 minutes a game this season and he’s averaging under 8 points a night.
Yet Watson brings a level of size and athleticism on the wing that this team doesn’t have and desperately needs. He’s their best chance of finding anything close to a wing defender and can even hold his own protecting the rim.
Even in limited minutes, he’s likely the team’s best defender, and when given the opportunity, he’s shown some ability on offense. He’s shooting over 37% from three-point range on the season, but the volume and usage are still very low.
There’s no telling if Waston can be the answer to the Nuggets’ problems, but there’s only one way to find out. He’s the only guy on the roster who can possibly offer the two-way skillset the team so badly needs. Not playing him and finding out just how good he can be is criminal.
Despite how raw he is, Malone absolutely should have been playing Watson heavier minutes all season, emphasizing his development and ensuring he’s as ready as possible for the playoffs. The Nuggets need what he can bring and he has a chance to be a real X-factor. But has he played enough and built the confidence?
That’s an impossible question to answer and frankly, we don’t even know if Malone will entrust him enough in the playoffs for us to find out. But Monday’s performance was a great sign and it was glaring on a night where most of the team looked exhausted and Michael Porter Jr. got beat up on defense and shot 1/10 on threes.
It’s time to take off the kid gloves and trust Watson for better or worse. If it backfires, so be it, but without contributions from Watson in the playoffs, the Nuggets aren’t going very far anyway.