The Nuggets haven’t had any trouble putting together an elite offense since Nikola Jokic rose to prominence, but they’ve never had a true sniper who can provide microwave scoring quite like Tim Hardaway Jr. can. Denver has had a hard time piecing together bench minutes the past few years and was lucky to find a bright spot here and there.
Even during the championship year, they had a solid bench, but there wasn’t a lot of shooting or scoring. But this year, THJ is bringing that element in spades, and it has been a breath of fresh air.
He’s playing 23 minutes per game and putting up 11.2 points on a ridiculous 46% three-point shooting. But it hasn’t just been the steady averages that have been impressive, but the explosive outbursts that can fuel a run from the bench.
Through just nine games, Hardaway Jr. has already scored in double figures six times, has been over 16 points on three occasions, and has hit at least three three-pointers in four games.
Hardaway Jr. stepping it up when needed most
Most importantly, THJ is rising to the occasion when called upon. On Saturday night, the Nuggets hosted the Pacers on the second night of a back-to-back, and decided to rest Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
Last season, this would have spelled disaster as the Nuggets simply didn’t have the depth to withstand absences from any of their key players, let alone more than one. But this time around, things were different.
Hardaway played 23 minutes and poured in 17 points on 6-13 shooting and 5-9 from three. He was also a team-high +24, with the Nuggets absolutely dominating the minutes that he was on the court.
It’s still a small sample size, but the Nuggets’ bench has been a revelation this season. They have a legitimate backup center in Jonas Valanciunas, multiple guys who can get out and defend in Bruce Brown and Peyton Watson, and a couple of guys who can fill it up in a hurry with THJ and Julian Strawther.
Being able to steal minutes with Jokic and the other starters on the bench is going to be a massive key for the Nuggets all season long. They aren’t going to be perfect without the best player in the world, but as long as they can hold their own and put points on the board, that should be enough to keep them afloat. Performances like the ones we’re seeing from Hardaway Jr. will go a long way in helping Denver achieve its goals this season.