The Denver Nuggets have completed an offseason that has Nikola Jokic and company significantly closer to a second title than they'd been at any point over the previous two seasons. On paper, the roster has the depth that was lacking and the complementary skill sets to create ideal two-way balance.
For as improved as the roster may be, it's familiar face Bruce Brown Jr. who carries the heaviest burden as the most likely candidate to resolve Denver's inability to create consistent penetration.
The Nuggets finished the 2024-25 regular season ranked dead last in the NBA in drives per game at 35.7. They were also No. 30 in points via drives per game, generating a disappointing 20.5—a number that seemingly played a role in Denver's second-round exit.
The NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder led the Association in points via drives per game at 32.9, and each of the other three Conference Finalists were within the top 11.
Minnesota was the lowest-ranked Conference Finalist in that regard at 27.6 points via drives per game. That's a 7.1-point advantage over Denver, which epitomizes the divide between contenders in regard to being able to generate efficient interior offense against set defenses when it's not created by Jokic or Jamal Murray.
Thankfully, Brown has the ability to diversify the Nuggets' offensive sets while replacing under-appreciated guard Russell Westbrook from last season's roster.
Bruce Brown must help Nuggets resolve inability to create drives
In 2024-25, only three Nuggets averaged more than Christian Braun's 3.4 drives per game: Murray, Westbrook, and Jokic. Murray and Jokic are returning for the 2025-26 campaign and should continue to excel in their interior scoring ways, but losing Westbrook is a bigger blow than it may seem.
Westbrook averaged 9.2 drives per game in 2024-25, ranking second on the team behind Murray's 11.1, and shot 50.2 percent in said scenarios.
Furthermore, Westbrook's ability to create penetration consistently led to opportunities to find open shooters along the perimeter or cutting scorers around the basket. He tied with Murray for the team lead in passes off of drives at 4.4, with Jokic ranking third at 1.6.
Brown has never been known as a top-tier facilitator, but for the Nuggets to overcome the loss of Westbrook, he needs to turn drives into productive opportunities.
Brown ranked second on the Nuggets with 6.6 drives per game during the championship season in 2022-23. That translated marvelously to the playoffs, where Brown shot 53.4 percent on drives and ranked second on Denver in passes off of drives behind Murray.
Furthermore, Brown shot 61.9 percent on 97 shots within the restricted area and 61.2 percent below the free throw line during the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
Brown has faced his share of injury issues over the past two seasons, but healthy and back in Denver, he should be able to provide aid in a vital area. If he succeeds, the Nuggets can create more drives with the intention of the ball-handler scoring and thus simplify the game for Jokic when shots otherwise aren't falling.
Without Brown stepping up, however, Denver may struggle to avoid the type of droughts that have precipitated their postseason exits over the past two seasons.