Whether it was the chaos in D.C. inspired by "what's his name", or this virus that has driven the daytime drinking levels to exponential proportions, giving a damn about sporting events has been terribly difficult. Thankfully, our orange mistake and the fecal odor from that Capitol Hill raid are getting dealt with in a similar manner, so let's talk hoops and see if we can avoid one of those virus mutations
If you saw the Nuggets play yesterday (hit the link above if you missed it) and you agree like me that it's finally time to care about the Nuggets enough to talk about them, then I have a question for you.
Did the Denver Nuggets win the game last night in Dallas in large part because of the third quarter ejection of Jamal Murray and in small part PJ Dozier, who went down earlier in the game with a hamstring injury, or was it a victory despite the loss of two key players, especially their all-star guard Murray?
Before I clarify my question so you don't think I am hating on Murray or Dozier, my answer is both. They won despite the challenge of losing two very important players, but they also won because one player in particular got out of the way and allowed a few fresher legged, hungry pups to eat.
While I have always appreciated the toughness and grit of Murray, it has always felt like coach Mike Malone gives him injured PT (playing time) just to help him get used to learning how to play injured like Kobe used to do, not because it's the best thing to do for him or the team, especially given the depth the Nuggets have at the guard spot and the difficulty of healing and injury while playing with it.
As for Dozier, he has quickly become the kind of guy Malone relies on because of his length and ability to play team defense and because he fills in at four positions on the floor. Dozier is not yet a star player, but losing him last night makes it a win despite the loss of a secret weapon of sorts. With Murray it's a differet story. His current injuries and erratic performances thus far turned his ejection (which was legitimate thanks to his ball busting behavior) into a moment for someone else to shine, and Michael Porter Jr. came through.
By allowing Murray to play through injuries that everyone knows about, which makes the injury a ready made excuse if he needs it, Malone is forcing his team to hope for the best mental focus and performance out of their injured star who himself forces these moments on his coach to develop mental toughness while slowing the development of key backups interested in his job and simultaneously nullifying the reason for upgrading the backups in the first place. But it's all of that and one other thing.
Without Murray on the floor, a player who demands and gets his number called by the Nuggets quite a bit in every game, the Mavericks didn't really know where to focus their defensive efforts which had to be game-planned for Murray and Jokic especially late in the game. Because they aren't saddled with expectations yet, the Nuggets backups come at you like mosquitos in the summer time, and there really is no way to defend against mosquitos in the summer time. Without Murray on the floor, the capable stable, or maybe I should say swarm of Nuggets guards- Campazzo, Morris, and especially Porter Jr.- got to perform without the expectations you get after putting up 50 points more than once in the playoffs, and that is a good thing.
This is not to say the Nuggets are a better team without Murray. This is to say they aren't bound by his performances or his presence on the floor like they were last season, and that's, once again, a good thing. #whatdoyouthink
Bonus Note: R.J. Hampton actually got significant PT in something other than garbage minutes because of the loss of two guards...and he looked impressive, especially on defense. Keep an eye on him!!
