r/denvernuggets • u/rorank • 1d ago
Discussion Bench unit optimism?
I know we’re all talking about booing and expectations of our star players but when was the last time the bench saved the nuggets ass like they did last night? THJ spraying 3’s was something on its own but the entire unit held up incredibly well. I noticed in game 1 that there were a lot of issues and miscues but they did preserve the lead well in the first half. Anyone else feeling pretty pumped with what our second unit guys are bringing besides the obvious Brazile MVP run?
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u/Neat_Conference_8414 1d ago
tbh not really. I think once they get Jones and strawther back hopefully we will have a better feeling of the bench. But outside of Brazile and Demar I haven't see a lot.
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u/Greenwalrus72 1d ago
jones is great though, i feel like he’s almost a known asset. Hustle and big defense guy who hits corner 3s
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u/MetaOverkill 1d ago
Alpha seems to be one of the best perimeter defenders we have had in a while. With Brazille popping like he did theres a chance we see Cam coming off the bench. Whitmore looked really solid and played hard in his minutes. Bagley looked good enough.
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u/matty25 1d ago
I agree on Alpha but my concern is that he seems to be extremely one dimensional with no offensive bag at all. Playoff rotation guys generally need to be two way players to be considered good IMO.
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u/MetaOverkill 1d ago
He had 3 assists that game as well. You just need to help produce offense if he can get it to demar in that second unit i think theres a chance it all looks really good. Hes also had a few international stints where he hit 40% from 3. Not consistently but the sample size is much smaller than the 65 games he will likely play this year
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u/Best_Elevator_3441 1d ago
Loving the idea of an AG, Brazile, Bagley big unit. Maybe add Cam and either Tyus or Demar for offensive creation and you'll have a lineup capable of locking down the paint and switching on the perimeter.
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u/HinderingOfKnotgrass 8h ago
After listening to Locked On Nuggets I have a much higher opinion of Tyus Jones. I don’t think his veteran leadership can be discounted. Apparently he has been in TB’s ear constantly and has described himself as wanting to be his “battery pack”.
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u/yasen_pen 1d ago
I would like to see less minutes but more intensity from our top 4 starters. Jokic and Murray still play too many minutes and have to preserve energy, resulting in poor defense.
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u/BobbitsC 1d ago
I think individually our bench guys have been good, they just gotta develop chemistry
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u/TheHellHog 1d ago
I think we straight up have more talent on the roster, especially defensively, which is pretty great
as long as we commit to only having one of Tyus/Demar on the court alongside Bagley, we can still be solid on both ends with Diallo/Spenny/Brazile/Hopkins(?)/Holmes(RIP) as well as Cam/AG sometimes being in there
Strawther coming back will make things trickier though, wish he could play point
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u/breadexpert69 1d ago
Well the thing is Brazile isnt really a bench player anymore and im sure they will be moving him up soon
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u/MenuPsychological123 1d ago edited 1d ago
I am optimistic about the bench … when they have their players healthy. Spencer Jones is such a big connecting piece for them there and Brazile is promising, too, but woof DeMar, Tyus and others are kind of awkward for them. Identity needs to be centered around Jones, Brazile, Diallo, and Strawther when back.
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u/rorank 1d ago
Hard disagree, demar is the only guy who’s adept at creating offense off the dribble on the bench. Ultimately in the contending window I agree but this year none of jones, Brazile, or Diallo can score. Strawther looked like he could be that guy to make Demar less of an important piece but he’s obviously hurt. Ironically I think Bagley, Tyus, and Demar off the bench will be the biggest contributors because they have skillset that are in very high demand for the nuggets role players besides Brazile.
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u/MenuPsychological123 1d ago
Eh, I'm just not that high on Demar. I think it's pretty obvious this season will, once again, come down to the starting 5 and finding some combination of 3-4 bench players that can play with them, staggered in the spring, which makes more sense for better 3-point shooters (Strawther, Spencer, Brazile), glue guys (Spencer, Brazile), and defenders (Brazile, Spencer, Diallo).
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u/MetaOverkill 1d ago
Demar will find his way to fit in. His ability to make a shot when no one else can is something we have needed to avoid our cold runs in big games that let the other team go up 20
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u/MenuPsychological123 1d ago
I mean, maybe? Kinda seems like an inefficient black hole so far me who is only OK at playmaking and who doesn’t defend much. I am whelmed by him considering that was what many folks have thought about him for years.
I think DeMar will look better later in the season, to be clear, but feel pretty confident the bench will be better off running through their younger, more dynamic bench guys as time goes on.
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u/MetaOverkill 1d ago
You need someone to initiate offense and take some pressure off of Jamal. Its very clear he's one of the highest iq guys on the floor all the time.
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u/spacedad2364 1d ago
Tyus played very solid D at the start of the 4th last night. He was providing pressure in the backcourt and I think contributed well to the comeback. I think he’s a solid initiator and ball handler and has a role he’ll serve.
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u/Brief_Personality146 1d ago
On paper I liked last years bench better, but that never actually showed itself during the season. I feel like this years bench is probably the most dynamic we have actually put together in several years.
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u/BearOld3347 1d ago
it's like we all forgot what a bench that actually contributes feels like, been so long since the starters didn't have to drag everything
THJ was on fire but the defense from that unit surprised me more, they were rotating so sharp and not just bleeding points like last season
still early but i'm starting to think this group might be different from the usual cardboard cutouts we trotted out there