Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pumped in 35 points against New Orleans on Saturday but the Thunder are still playing it cautious with his recent injury. He sat out the second game of a back-to-back against San Antonio on Sunday due to what the team described as abdominal strain injury management, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman tweets. The Thunder star guard has exceeded the 30-point mark in his last four outings.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Tre Jones missed the Spurs‘ game against Oklahoma City on Sunday with a non-COVID illness, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express News tweets. Jones averaged 13 points and six assists in his last two appearances.
- Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar was available to play against Brooklyn on Sunday, coach Michael Malone told Mike Singer of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Cancar missed three games with a wrist sprain and also didn’t play against San Antonio on Friday.
- The Nuggets’ second unit has been unsettled after changes were made during and after the trade deadline, Singer writes. Reggie Jackson has struggled with his shooting (29%) since becoming the backup point guard and Thomas Bryant has been relatively quiet since he was brought in to back up Nikola Jokic. “We’re still trying to figure stuff out,” swingman Bruce Brown said.
Nets 122 over Nuggets 120 ….
Dinwiddie 15 pts,16 ast, 6 reb …..
This is a nice win. Nets hanging in there
(39-29). Doing it without Ben. Gotta give them credit. Only 14 gms left.
I posted this before earlier in the season when the Nuggets were having trouble winning games: the Nuggets have to play big, traditionally big, 2 guards, 3 bigs. Christan Braun is only player on their team who can be a big or a small. In their last 3 games, coach Malone keeps playing 3 smalls together with 2 bigs…and the other teams are going on huge runs. It’s really simple. The Nuggets need to play big. The Nuggets traded for Thomas Bryant he’s a big and the Nuggets aren’t playing him. I think they should play Bryant with Jokic with Gordon sitting to see if Bryant can play the dunkers spot. Right now, only Gordon has success playing the dunkers spot. Also, I’d like to see Bryant with all the starters except Jokic…Bryant, Gordon, MPjr, KCP, Murray. Because Jokic can carry a bench unit for 10 minutes a game…Jokic, Green, Cancar, Braun, w Brown or Reggie Jackson at point. Anyway, the important thing is that the Nuggets need to play traditionally big for 48 minutes a game, 3 bigs, 2 smalls.
Nuggets lineups should have 3 bigs and 2 smalls for 48 minutes and they will succeed. If they keep playing 3 guard lineups they might get bounced in the first round.
3 Bigs: Jokic, Gordon, MPjr, Cancar, Bryant, Zeke, Green, Braun and
2 Smalls: Murray, KCP, Brown, Reggie, Braun, Ish
Interesting theory but if Bryant plays with the starters then the starters will suck. Doesn’t matter what combination they use, the non Jokic minutes are terrible. Malone has tried a lot of different lineups.
Nuggets are like 5-4 since aquiring Jackson. Unloading bones was a bad move
F for Denver at the trade deadline
Indeed