What a start for the Denver Nuggets. After the latest injury report, it feels like the famous YogI Berra line, "It's deja vu all over again!" Last year was a mess of injuries, and here we go again! The injury bug has bitten a large chunk of the Nuggets' wing and small-forward depth. The bug is not only going to affect the spacing and three-point shooting on the offense, a lot, but it could also affect the defense that looked good in the 96-84 opening night loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. And it sets the stage for an expanded role for the two-way players off the bench.
The Nuggets added Cameron Johnson to the list that already had Spencer Jones and Julian Strawther on it as listed OUT for the Nuggets' home opener against the New Orleans Pelicans. Johnson will miss the home opener after going out with a right ankle sprain against the Thunder.
They also added defensive specialist Alpha Diallo as questionable with a right wrist sprain. Diallo played a big part in helping to slow two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was held to just 17 points. It was the first time in 141 games, an NBA record, that SGA failed to reach 20 points.
The offense looked bad without Cam
The Nuggets' offense looked terrible when Johnson came out of the game. The spacing was bad enough without Cam. But no other Nugget could consistently make a three-point shot outside of Aaron Gordon, and the Thunder's defense was able to collapse into the paint and play Nikola Jokic physically. And the result was 36 second-half points, but really only 31 outside of the 5 that were scored in garbage time, and a terrible 8-for-30 from beyond the arc.
The Nuggets will likely lean on their two-way wings
With the small forward and wing position group potentially depleted if Diallo sits out, the Nuggets could have to play both of their two-way wings, Bryce Hopkins and Cam Whitmore. It's not ideal, obviously, but both players have shown flashes of being capable of holding their own.
Hopkins, the 49th pick of the draft this summer, thrives on his downhill attack and doesn't shy away from contact on his way to the rim, almost preferring to make contact with a defender. He only scored 4.0 points in 12 minutes per game during the preseason, but he plays solid physical defense and will absorb whatever role the Nuggets throw at him.
The better offensive player of the two is Whitmore. He scored 8.6 points in 13.5 minutes. Whitmore also thrives on attacking the rim, and he used his athleticism to power to 14 points in game two of the preseason against the Jazz by drawing numerous fouls and knocking down 6 of his 7 free throws. He can score points in bunches, but his defense is iffy.
Unfortunately, neither player is an excellent three-point shooter like the players they are replacing. And it feels mostly like a repeat of last season, where the Nuggets just have to call the next man-up. But Jones developed nicely last year out of the two-way spot. Whitmore and Hopkins can, too.
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