Denver Nuggets 2.0 [S2: 55-19]

[Phil89]

I always wanted to see Westbrook vs Rose in the NBA Finals. Looks like Durant stole the show with his 50–40–90 shooting though.

[Andrew]

Man, and the Bulls lose for the first time in the NBA Finals...at least in this Association's reality. Yeah, that wasn't the first season I was hoping to see.

[Kenny]

I always wanted to see Westbrook vs Rose in the NBA Finals. Looks like Durant stole the show with his 50–40–90 shooting though.

No doubt it would be one of the more exciting battles in the NBA Finals, but yeah, Durant seemed to own the Playoffs, much like the regular season.

Man, and the Bulls lose for the first time in the NBA Finals...at least in this Association's reality. Yeah, that wasn't the first season I was hoping to see.

You can blame Chris Anstey for unfollowing me on twitter (even though this happened before that).

Seriously though, the Bulls were the team I wanted to win it (aside from the Spurs).

[Kenny]

Free Agency 2015

Afflalo, Chandler Options Exercised

Both Arron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler will be back for the Nuggets in the 2015-2016 season. Afflalo decided to accept his player option, while Chandler's team option was picked up by the Nuggets.

No Qualifying Offer for Derrick Williams

The Nuggets have not offered Derrick Williams the qualifying offer, which was reportedly worth 8 million dollars over one season. It is believed that the Nuggets want to signWilliams to a multi-season deal.

Three Players to Test Free Agency, Azubuike Waived

Nate Robinson, Darrell Arthur and Mirza Teletovic have all decided to test the free agent market in the off-season, while Kelenna Azubuike was recently waived from the Nuggets roster.

[Kenny]

Boston Win Lottery

The Boston Celtics will get the first pick of the 2015 NBA Draft. Other teams to make the top five were the Mavericks, Pelicans, Magic and the Jazz.

Lottery Picks

1) Boston Celtics
2) Dallas Mavericks
3) New Orleans Pelicans
4) Orlando Magic
5) Utah Jazz
6) Philadelphia 76ers
7) Sacramento Kings
8) Washington Wizards
9) Charlotte Hornets
10) Toronto Raptors
11) Detroit Pistons
12) Portland Trail Blazers
13) Golden State Warriors
14) Phoenix Suns

Nuggets Eye Off Poythress

The Nuggets will get the 27th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and it appears as though they will likely select Alex Poythress if he's still on the board.

Poythress, a small forward out of Kentucky, has been projected to go late in the first round. With the Nuggets looking to trade Danilo Gallinari, he could contribute to the Nuggets straight away.

[Kenny]

NBA Draft 2015

This 2015 NBA Draft class was created by http://www.INKompleteBeatz.net on the 2K share network.

First Round

1) Boston Celtics - Cliff Alexander
2) Dallas Mavericks - Kristaps Porzingis
3) New Orleans Pelicans - Chris Walker
4) Orlando Magic - Marcus Lee
5) Utah Jazz - Montrezl Harrell
6) Philadelphia 76ers - Trey Lyles
7) Sacramento Kings - Brice Johnson
8) Washington Wizards - Georges Niang
9) Charlotte Hornets - Emmanual Mudiay
10) Toronto Raptors - Aaron Harrison
11) Detroit Pistons - Brandon Ashley
12) Portland Trail Blazers - Stanley Johnson
13) Golden State Warriors - Tyus Jones

***TRADE: The Suns send P.J. Tucker and Pick 14 to the Lakers for Vitor Faverani and Pick 16

14) Los Angeles Lakers - Bobby Portis
15) Milwaukee Bucks - Kelly Oubre
16) Phoenix Suns - Perris Ellis
17) Los Angeles Clippers - Andrew Harrison
18) Brooklyn Nets - Jahlil Okafor
19) Indiana Pacers - Brenden Dawson
20) New York Knicks - Justise Winslow
21) Atlanta Hawks - Anthony Barber

***TRADE: The Timberwolves send Carl Landry and Pick 22 to the Mavericks for Ricky Ledo and a 2016 First Round Pick

22) Dallas Mavericks - Myles Turner
23) San Antonio Spurs - Karl Towns
24) Memphis Grizzlies - Kevon Looney
25) Cleveland Cavaliers - Alex Poythress
26) Houston Rockets - Theo Pinson
27) Denver Nuggets - Mario Hezonja
28) Miami Heat - Caris Levert
29) Chicago Bulls - Wayne Selden
30) Oklahoma City Thunder - Rasheed Sulaimon

Second Round

31) Boston Celtics - Willie Cauley-Stein
32) Orlando Magic - Olivier Hanlan

***TRADE: The Jazz send pick 33 to the Warriors for Nemanja Nedovic

33) Golden State Warriors - Sindarus Thornwell

***TRADE: The 76ers send Pick 34 to the Hawks for John Jenkins

34) Atlanta Hawks - Sam Dekker
35) Sacamento Kings - Jake Layman
36) New Orleans Pelicans - Dakari Johnson
37) Minnesota Timberwolves - Jabari Bird
38) Washington Wizards - Rodney Pervis
39) Charlotte Hornets - Isaiah Taylor
40) Toronto Raptors - R.J. Hunter
41) Detroit Pistons - Buddy Hield
42) Milwaukee Bucks - Terry Rozier
43) Portland Trail Blazers - A.J. Hammons
44) Los Angeles Clippers - Norman Powell
45) Phoenix Suns - Ron Baker
46) Brooklyn Nets - Marcus Paige
47) Los Angeles Lakers - Delon Wright
48) Golden State Warriors - Frank Kaminsky
49) Detroit Pistons - Jordan Mickey
50) Indiana Pacers - Fred Vanvleet
51) New York Knicks - Brandon Burns
52) Minnesota Timberwolves - Bradley May
53) San Antonio Spurs - Rob Brady
54) Memphis Grizzlies - Jeff Jacobsen
55) Cleveland Cavaliers - Cody Sullivan
56) Denver Nuggets - Chucky Newton
57) Houston Rockets - Donte Wall
58) Oklahoma City Thunder - Rudolph Mayo
59) Miami Heat - Art Harmon
60) Chicago Bulls - Malcolm Norton

Draft Comments

-With pick #1 and #31, the Celtics have bolstered their frontcourt. Cliff Alexander (1) and Willie Cauley-Stein (31) are two intriguing prospects, who could contribute straight away. Cauley-Stein could turn out to be one of the steals of the draft.

-Jahlil Okafor is an absolute steal at #18. With both Okafor and Plumlee on the roster, the Nets could look to shop Brook Lopez for an upgrade at shooting guard.

-The Cavaliers taking Alex Poythress two spots ahead of the Nuggets led many to believe that they had a deal in place. Sources have reported that the Nuggets offered Mario Hezonja and the 56th pick (Chucky Newton) for Poythress, but the Cavs decided to keep the pick.

[Andrew]

Do you foresee either of your picks becoming the next Perko?

[Martti.]

Okafor at #18? Gotta love 2K draft logic. Sucks you didn't get Poythress, hopefully Hezonja can do well for you.

[Lamrock]

Okafor at 18... Reminds me of 2K14 where Embiid always went late first round, early second unless you changed his position to PF. Hezonja seems like an okay addition, but you'll probably want to consolidate at the 2. What's your current depth chart?

[Kenny]

Do you foresee either of your picks becoming the next Perko?

Newton is a power forward... but that's about the only similarity he has with Perko. With his high 40s rating, I kind of regret giving him a contract, but oh well.

I'd say Hezonja could be a poor man's Taylor MacKenzie at this point. He has decent range and will likely be a swingman for me off the bench.

Okafor at #18? Gotta love 2K draft logic. Sucks you didn't get Poythress, hopefully Hezonja can do well for you.

I had more of plan for Poythress, but Hezonja actually has a better overall rating, so I'm hoping that means something.

Okafor at 18 reminds me of when I was able to draft you at a similar time, despite the fact you projected top 5-10. I really don't understand the logic. Okafor has a 76 rating and Porzingus was drafted ahead of him.

Okafor at 18... Reminds me of 2K14 where Embiid always went late first round, early second unless you changed his position to PF. Hezonja seems like an okay addition, but you'll probably want to consolidate at the 2. What's your current depth chart?

From my experiences there are always anomalies like that. I got Smart at 15 in my Cleveland association, which was a steal (well, at that point it was projected to be).

The two rotation probably isn't the strongest - or at least the most proven - in my roster at this point. Afflalo is my starter, with Gary Harris being his direct backup (he's got a pretty good rating in the game, around 74-ish). I play Erick Green at 2 in smaller lineups, but with the addition of Hezonja, he's probably just going to back up Ty. I kind of plan to play out the season a little and see how I go with the rotation I have.

Danny Green is on free agency, so there's always a possibility of shifting one of the bigger contracts so I can make room for him. Can't really do too much with him at the moment though, because he's still got the injury from the season before (probably why the Spurs didn't re-sign him).

[Kenny]

Gasol, Rondo and Gallinari to Team Up in Philadelphia

Good news Philadelphia fans; the Sixers might be relevant again!

The Sixers have drastically improved their chances of winning an NBA championship by signing Marc Gasol and Rajon Rondo to multi-year deals.

Along with Gasol and Rondo, the Sixers have also acquired Danilo Gallinari from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Jerami Grant. Gallinari will fill the small forward position in an already impressive lineup, while the Nuggets will save 10 million dollars this season, while moving a player who was likely to fall out of rotation this season.

Projected Sixers Lineup

Rajon Rondo - KJ McDaniels - Danilo Gallinari - Nerlens Noel - Marc Gasol

Key bench players: Joel Embiid, Michael Carter-Williams, Trey Lyles, Tony Wroten

Williams Re-Signs For Three in Denver

Derrick Williams and the Denver Nuggets have agreed to terms on a new contract. Williams will earn a total of 6.64M over three seasons, with a player option for a fourth.

The former second overall pick impressed the Nuggets coaching staff last season with his improved jumpshot and impact off the bench. He will likely compete with Gary Harris for the sixth man spot on the team.

Free Agent Signings Around the League

Atlanta
Chris Kaman - 2yr/6.1M

Boston
Monta Ellis - 3yr/29.25M

Brooklyn
Luis Scola - 1yr/1.77M

Chicago
Andray Blatche - 1yr/4.64M

Denver
Derrick Williams 3yr/6.44M

Detroit
Elton Brand - 1yr/2.41M
Lou Williams - 3yr/20.76M

Houston
Samuel Dalembert - 1yr/3.93M

Indiana
Amar'e Stoudemire - 3yr/12.6M

Los Angeles Clippers
Gerald Green - 4yr/22.41M

Memphis
Omer Asik - 1yr/4.26M

New York
Greg Monroe - 3yr/22.1M

Oklahoma City
Kevin Seraphin - 1yr/4.98M

Orlando
C.J. Miles 2yr/9M
Nate Robinson - 1yr/4.2M

Philadelphia
Marc Gasol - 3yr/35.69M
Rajon Rondo - 4yr/52.59M
Jakarr Sampson - 1yr/845K

San Antonio
Paul Millsap - 3yr/37.4M

[Kenny]

Denver Nuggets 2015-2016 Opening Night Lineup


JaVale McGee | Kenneth Faried | Wilson Chandler | Arron Afflalo | Ty Lawson

Bench


Gary Harris | Derrick Williams | Erick Green | Chris Andersen | Jusuf Nurkic | Mario Hezonja | Jerami Grant

IR


Chucky Newton

[mp3]

Mario looks like he could be Gallo's younger brother!

Can't wait to see how Jusuf Nurkić develops

[Kenny]

Mario looks like he could be Gallo's younger brother!

Can't wait to see how Jusuf Nurkić develops

He does a little bit. Hopefully he can shoot the ball like Gallo did early on in his career.

Developing Nurkic wasn't a huge priority to start with, but his progression in real life has kind of made me think again.

***

Damn, a lot has happened since my absense. From the players left on my team, McGee and Afflalo are both gone in real life. Not entirely sure whether I'll trade them here, but it's something I'll consider.

In the meantime, I'm behind about 17 games. So there should be lots of updates.

[Kenny]

5 Game Summary

It was a mixed start for the Nuggets, losing to the Thunder and the Pistons. However, Denver managed to pick up wins against the Suns (in Phoenix), along with the Warriors and the Mavericks.

Unfortunately for the Nuggets, the losses weren't the only down side from the first five games. Denver already have three players on the injury list. While JaVale McGee and the Birdman are day-to-day, the big news came from the Pistons game, where Kenneth Faried broke his ankle. This leaves a massive hole in the Nuggets rotation.

Let's talk about some good news, though. The feature is the game against the Warriors.

Nuggets Rally to Win Against Warriors

The Nuggets were able to erase a 13 point half-time deficit to win 114-109 over the Golden State Warriors. The Nuggets managed the win despite an amazing 44 point performance by Stephen Curry.

The biggest surprise of the game, however, was the performance of Derrick Williams. Williams was awarded the player of the game, with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. His strong play helped the Nuggets outscore the Warriors 40-28 in the fourth quarter.

Along with Williams, Arron Afflalo and Ty Lawson (10 assists) were also strong, scoring 16 points each. Wilson Chandler added 13, while JaVale McGee (12) and Mario Hezonja (11) had minor contributions.

The Warriors were able to get early momentum through Stephen Curry. He was hot the entire game, scoring 44 points against the Nuggets. However, he was essentially a one man show on the offensive end. There were only two other players in double digits, with Andrew Bogut registering a double-double (12 points and 10 rebounds), while Klay Thompson (11) had a relatively quiet night.

GSW@DEN

DEN: 114
(Williams 20, Afflalo 16, Lawson 16)
GSW: 109
(Curry 44, Bogut 12, Thompson 11)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Derrick Williams 20 points (8-12 FG) 6 rebounds 6 assists 1 steal 2 blocks

Rebounds

DEN: McGee 9
GSW: Lee 12

Assists

DEN: Lawson 10
GSW: Iguodala 11

Last 5 Games

OKC: 112-102 L
@PHX: 112-89 W
GSW: 114-109 W
DET: 113-100 L
DAL: 100-70 W

Overall: 3-2

Highlights

Arron Afflalo scored 29 points in the season opener against the Thunder. He's currently averaging 16.8 points per game.

It's early, but Ty Lawson is on track for another All-NBA season. In five games, he's averaging 17.2 points and 10 assists. Against the Suns, Lawson put up 24 points and 12 assists.

Since Faried's injury, Jerami Grant has picked up some extra minutes off the bench. Against the Mavericks, the son of Harvey had 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks.

JaVale McGee was one of the better performers in the Nuggets loss to the Pistons. He had 13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, a block and zero Shaqtin a Fool highlights.

Injuries

Kenneth Faried - Broken Ankle, 6-8 Weeks (Out)
JaVale McGee - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Chris Andersen - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)

Next 5 Games

@LAL
POR
CHA
@POR
BKN

[Kenny]

5 Game Summary

After losing the first two games against the Lakers and the Blazers, the Nuggets managed to keep their winning record in tact with wins over the Hornets, Blazers (in Portland) and Nets.

Nuggets Edge Out Nets, Win Third Straight

It was a tightly contested game throughout that had many lead changes. The most decisive moment came towards the end of the fourth. With the score at 95-94, Gary Harris nailed a dagger from beyond the arc to put the Nuggets ahead by 4.

Harris made the most of his first start of the season, in the place of the injured Arron Afflalo. He top scored for the Nuggets with 25 points. However, the player of the game ended up being Derrick Williams. He almost had a triple-double, as he tallied 14 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. Williams also had 2 steals and 2 blocks to complete his stat sheet.

Along with the outstanding play of Harris and Williams, Wilson Chandler and Ty Lawson both had solid games, scoring 15 points each, while Erick Green (13) and Jerami Grant (10) made meaningful contributions off the bench.

For the Nets, Joe Johnson had a big night tallying 26 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Luis Scola (14 points 7 rebounds) and Brook Lopez (12 points 10 rebounds) were both solid in the paint, while Randy Foye and Jahlil Okafor added 10 each.

BKN@DEN

DEN: 102
(Harris 25, Chandler 15, Lawson 15)
BKN: 97
(Johnson 26, Scola 14, Lopez 12)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Derrick Williams 14 points (6-16 FG) 9 rebounds 8 assists 2 steals 2 blocks

Rebounds

DEN: McGee 11
BKN: Lopez 11

Assists

DEN: Williams 8
BKN: Johnson 6

Last 5 Games

@LAL: 106-90 L
POR: 97-96 L
CHA: 107-98 W
@POR: 100-91 W
BKN: 102-97 W

Overall: 6-4

Highlights

Along with his feature performance, Derrick Williams was also strong in the loss against the Blazers. He had 22 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 4 blocks. If he could do that on a regular basis, he would live up to his draft position.

Before picking up - you guessed it - an ankle injury, Arron Afflalo had a great game against the Hornets. AAA scored 22 points to go with 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal.

JaVale McGee was having a block party in Portland. He blocked 7 shots, as well as tallying 21 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. The McGee triple-double was almost on, but the Nuggets had a game to win.

Gary Harris was having a relatively quiet season before his breakout performance against the Nets, but he managed to score 10 in the game against the Spurs.

Injuries

Kenneth Faried - Broken Ankle, 6-8 Weeks (Out)
Arron Afflalo - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Wilson Chandler - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)

Next 5 Games

SAN
CHI
@PHI
@BOS
@CHA

Note: there are 7 games left in the month, so the next two summaries will be split 4 and 3.

[Kenny]

Ten Game Player Summary 2015-2016

This is where each player, from 1-15, gets an evaluation of their efforts within the first ten games of the season. Depending on the player, I also offer insight on their future with the franchise.

Ty Lawson
10 Games (10 Starts)
16.5ppg 9apg 2.3spg
.518 FG% .482 3PT% 1.000 FT%

If his numbers so far are anything to go by, Ty Lawson is on track for another All-Star season. He has started the season on fire from the field, along with keeping up a high assist tally. Much of what Denver do relies heavily on Lawson's output and his ability to get his teammates involved, and so far, he's definitely been the team's MVP.

Arron Afflalo
9 Games (9 Starts)
16.8ppg 4.9apg 1.6spg
.505 FG% .425 3PT% 1.000 FT%

Much like Lawson, Arron Afflalo has also started the season shooting well from the field. His three point percentage was back to where it was when he had arguably his best season with Orlando, only this time he's on a team with a winning record. This could play into his favour when the All-Star Weekend arrives, provided he keeps up the numbers. There have been thoughts about using Afflalo as a trade chip and giving the starting role to Gary Harris. However, it's hard to justify when Afflalo is playing so well.

AAA has expressed interest in signing an extension with the Nuggets, but at this point, it's probably best to see whether he can sustain these numbers.

Wilson Chandler
10 Games (10 Starts)
13ppg 4.8rpg 1.1bpg
.481 FG% .371 3PT% .667 FT%

Wilson Chandler hasn't done a whole lot wrong at the beginning of the season. His scoring output is a little bit down on last season, but he's remaining to be a pretty consistent third option on offense for the Nuggets.

Chandler is basically in the same boat as Afflalo, in that he's also looking to sign an extension. However, if the Nuggets fail to make much progression this season, he's likely to become a trade chip. Currently, Chandler is likely to stay in his starting small forward position with the Nuggets, but we'll see what happens.

Kenneth Faried
4 Games (4 Starts)
8.2ppg 7.2rpg 1bpg
.636 FG% .833 FT%

There isn't a whole lot to say about Faried at this point. His output in his three-and-a-half games was basically up to standard. Hopefully injury won't set him back too much.

JaVale McGee
9 Games (9 Starts)
8.8ppg 7.9rpg 3bpg
.597 FG% .313 FT%

At this stage of McGee's career, I think it's safe to say that he should try and accept a role similar to DeAndre Jordan's role with the Clippers. His offense really hasn't expanded a whole lot, and his points primarily come off dunks, layups and putbacks. However, as a rim protector, McGee is an elite presense in the lane. He also rebounds at a decent rate as well.

I believe McGee can thrive in the DeAndre Jordan role for the Nuggets. Here's hoping he can remain fit.

Gary Harris
10 Games (1 Start)
8.8ppg 1.4rpg 2.1apg
.467 FG% .435 3PT% 1.000 FT%

As far as his per game stats are concerned, Gary Harris is basically on par with his rookie season. He had a relatively quiet start to the season, but really broke out in his only start. If Harris is willing to come off the bench for a few more seasons, he could develop into a perenial six man of the year candidate, because he has the ability to spark the Nuggets offense, and would allow the Nuggets to have 48 solid minutes at the shooting guard position with Arron Afflalo.

The question with Gary Harris isn't whether he has the talent, but whether it's the right time to give him one of the team's leading offensive roles. With Afflalo on the wrong side of 30, it's only a matter of time before Harris becomes a bigger name within the team.

Derrick Williams
10 Games (6 Starts)
12.9ppg 4.5rpg 2.3bpg
.418 FG% .290 3PT% .529 FT%

Brilliant one game, frustrating the next. There are games where it looks like Derrick Williams is going to be the next big star in the NBA, and others where he is absolutely cold. As the numbers suggest, he's had a poor start to the season shooting the ball, but he's contributed in various other areas. He's become an excellent chasedown artist and plays the passing lanes quite well.

Aside from his shooting woes, my biggest grievance with Derrick Williams this season has been his rebounding. It's a statistic where you really notice the difference between him and Kenneth Faried. There is no reason why Derrick Williams shouldn't be, at the very least, an average rebounder at the power forward position. It is my hope during the year that he will improve upon his low 4.5 rebounds per game total.

Erick Green
10 Games
6.6ppg 4.8apg 1.4spg
.415 FG .400 3PT% 1.000 FT%

Erick Green has had a solid start to his sophomore campaign. He's been shooting a great percentage from three point land. One criticism of his game is that he isn't great at driving to the hoop and he possibly settles for threes and long twos a little too often because of that. Still, Green is a very handy backup point guard to have, and he should be a solid rotation player for many years to come.

Jusuf Nurkic
10 Games
2.1ppg 3.1rpg 0.8bpg
.667 FG% .500 FT%

The numbers are fairly modest for Jusuf Nurkic, but don't mistake that for a regression. His 2.1 points and 3.1 rebounds have been a result of a fairly conservative approach to his minutes. He seems to be happy in whatever role he's in, which means he appears more open to share his minutes with the Birdman off the bench. This strategy, however, isn't going to last for long.

The talent is definitely there with Nurkic and at this point of his career, the Birdman should really be seen as an insurance policy if either McGee or Nurkic get injured. Don't be surprised to see Nurkic get more meaningful minutes, while Andersen's playing time decreases.

Chris Andersen
7 Games (1 Start)
2.1ppg 3.6rpg 1.1bpg
.700 FG% .500 FT%

Even though Chris Andersen has expressed interest in re-signing in the following off-season, I really believe this one should be his last. The Birdman's game is reliant on athleticism, and as that has dropped off over the last season or two, the deficiencies in his game have become even more apparent. He's still capable of grabbing rebounds and sending shots into the stands, but other than that, he's a bit of a liability in the Nuggets uptempo game.

Mario Hezonja
8 Games
8.9ppg 1rpg 1.1apg
.472 FG% .452 3PT% 1.000 FT%

If there's one thing we know already about Mario Hezonja's game, it's that he can shoot. In fact, his primary role within the team so far has been to spot up in the corners. He's done so with great effect so far, but I need a little more time to see what else he can do before I can make a real judgement about his game.

Jerami Grant
10 Games
6.7ppg 1.5rpg 1apg
.443 FG% .722 FT%

My first impression of Jerami Grant is that he has the potential to be one of the great defensive stoppers in the game. However, the main question is, what's his position? He's spent time at both forward positions, but neither seems to complement his game. At power forward, he's a little undersized, which would be okay if he could shoot from distance. He has the speed to play at small forward, but he's not a guy who excels at getting the ball on the perimeter.

Increasing his range is an integral step for Jerami Grant to succeed at the NBA level.

Chucky Newton
3 Games
2.7ppg 1.3rpg 0.7bpg
.571 FG%

Everyone knows that the second round is a roll of the dice. So far Chucky Newton has looked out of his depth in the NBA. He's managed to get a couple of offensive rebounds and putbacks, as well as a couple of blocks, but he still needs to adjust to the speed of the game.

[Kenny]

Enter the Matrix: Nuggets Sign Veteran Forward

Shawn Marion has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets.

After Kenneth Faried sustained a broken ankle, the Nuggets struggled for consistency at the power forward position. Marion will likely become the backup four in Faried's absense.

[Andrew]

Still terrible luck with ankles. Hope Marion pans out!

[Martti.]

Here we go with the damn ankles again. I'm really happy with the way Williams has been playing, hopefully he can continue this.

[Lamrock]

Sucks about the ankles but if Derrick Williams ever gets a chance to prove that he's an NBA player, it's now!

[Kenny]

Still terrible luck with ankles. Hope Marion pans out!

Hopefully I can make Marion overachieve a little. He still has quite a decent player rating for a guy who's a benchwarmer for the Cavs at the moment.

Here we go with the damn ankles again. I'm really happy with the way Williams has been playing, hopefully he can continue this.

I like Williams because he's my Michael Beasley of this story. Although, Michael Beasley had a much better jumpshot than him.

Sucks about the ankles but if Derrick Williams ever gets a chance to prove that he's an NBA player, it's now!

Here's hoping he can prove himself. If he can't... Michael Beasley is still on the free agency list

[Kenny]

4 Game Summary

The Nuggets were unable to get revenge against the Spurs in the first game of this summary, but they had luck in the next three, winning against the Bulls, Sixers and Celtics.

Nuggets Hold On Against the Sixers

The Nuggets were able to get away from Philadelphia with a 109-105 win over the Sixers.

Arron Afflalo was the key on the offensive end for Denver. AAA nearly had a flawless game (thanks Lamrock), with 27 points off 9-11 shooting from the field. New recruit Shawn Marion was also effective, contributing 17 points and 5 rebounds. Gary Harris added 16 off the bench, while Wilson Chandler and Ty Lawson scored 11 points each.

For the Sixers, Rajon Rondo (22 points, 8 assists) was two assists away from his almost-obligatory double-double, while Joel Embiid (16 points, 8 rebounds) only just missed out as well. Marc Gasol was relatively quiet, scoring 14 points, while recent Sixers acquisition Jodie Meeks had 12 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Michael Carter-Williams added 10 off the bench.

DEN@PHI

DEN: 109
(Afflalo 27, Mario 17, Harris 16)
PHI: 105
(Rondo 22, Embiid 16, Gasol 14)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Arron Afflalo 27 points (9-11 FG) 6 rebounds 4 assists

Rebounds

DEN: McGee 9
PHI: Embiid 8

Assists

DEN: Williams 5
PHI: Rondo 8

Last 4 Games

SAN: 114-110 L
CHI: 99-81 W
@PHI: 109-105 W
@BOS: 87-78 W

Overall: 9-5

Highlights

Ty Lawson is continuing to be the most consistent performer for the Nuggets. Against the Bulls, Lawson flirted with a five-by-five, with 24 points, 3 rebounds, 12 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks. He's well on his way to another All-Star season.

Shawn Marion might be the player the Nuggets were looking for in Faried's absense. In Boston, hehad 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. The Matrix has been impressing a lot of people with his resurgent form. Could he be the signing of the season?

Mario Hezonja certainly wasn't to blame for the Nuggets loss against the Spurs. The rookie scored 15 points off 5-7 from three point land.

Injuries

Kenneth Faried - Broken Ankle, 4-6 Weeks (Out)
Wilson Chandler - Sprained Ankle, Day-to-day (Hurt)

Next 3 Games

@CHA
NOP
UTA

[Kevin]

Great wins! Glad you're back

[Kenny]

Great wins! Glad you're back

Glad to be back

Hopefully I can post some more updates over the next few days.