It's now been just over two weeks since Nikola Jokic left the Denver Nuggets' rotation while he recovers from a hyperextended knee. In his absence, Peyton Watson has been showing out and proving to the rest of the world that he's the kind of difference-maker Nuggets fans already knew he was.
Many were quick to condemn Denver after Jokic went down, saying that there's no way this offense could survive without him and thinking that Jamal Murray would have to go supernova for this team to win games consistently. But Watson has quickly altered the conversation, putting up impressive scoring performances and proving that he's up to the challenge.
Earning Western Conference Player of the Week honors was all it really took to get casual viewers of the NBA to understand what a high-level player Peyton can be when he's at his best. Watson has been unlocking his full two-way potential, scoring in bunches while making an impact defensively as well.
For the month of January, PWat is averaging 24.7 points per night while shooting 51.7% from the floor and 48.6% from three-point range. He's been playing the best basketball of his career, and making the dreams of Nuggets fans come to life in the process.
Peyton Watson has made a name for himself
It's been such a natural shift for Peyton to switch into this hyper-aggressive mentality as well. He's taking nearly twice the shot attempts this month compared to his previous season average, and yet it doesn't feel forced at all. He's simply taking what defenses give him. And his contributions have helped the offense not feel panicked without Jokic, which says a lot.
And at the end of the day, Denver doesn't even need him to keep this up forever. Jokic is going to come back. When he does, Watson’s role may not necessarily be as substantial as it is now, but it won't be locked into that previous lower-usage state either. This team now knows beyond a shadow of a doubt they can trust him in high-leverage situations.
For fans who have watched this team for years, this current situation was always something that was a possibility. Nuggets fans have been talking about Watson’s defensive flashes for a while. The difference now is confidence and opportunity. With Jokic out, he’s played like someone who knows he belongs on the floor in big moments.
Once Denver gets healthy again, this roster is going to look even more well-rounded. Jokic of course changes everything about what this team can do. Add into the equation a wing who’s attacking space and defending at a high level, and suddenly the Nuggets may look like the team to beat in the NBA.
This stretch without number 15 was supposed to be about just weathering the storm. Instead, it’s turned into a reminder that Denver still has untapped potential. Peyton Watson has taken his opportunity and run with it, and fans couldn't be more excited.