Ron Gutterman

In 2020-21, Facundo Campado took the Denver Nuggets by storm when he became an integral piece following the injury to Jamal Murray. He endeared himself to Nuggets Nation with his defensive energy and flashy passing, earning himself a spot in the rotation in 2021-22.

When the new campaign began, Campazzo picked up right where he left off. Defensively, he helped lift Nuggets perimeter defenders to a higher level, while making life slightly easier on Nikola Jokić and Aaron Gordon.

His scoring output also saw a slight bump in the first half of the season, with some impressive performances to his name. As the season progressed, Campazzo's role shifted to more of a leadership role.

Though his minutes decreased towards the latter half of the year, no one can deny Campazzo's impact on the Nuggets in 2021-22.

Campazzo's on-court abilities shined brightest during the first half of the 2021-22 campaign. After his steady performance during the 2021 NBA Playoffs, Campazzo became a regular rotation player as Murray continued to recover from his injury.

He reached an average of 22.3 minutes per game in his first 40 appearances, continuing that same energy and passing flare that made him so popular the year before.

Campazzo had a performance that many NBA players can only dream of in their second season when the Nuggets faced the Houston Rockets on Jan. 1, 2022. In 34 minutes of play, Campazzo finished with 22 points, 12 assists, five steals, four rebounds, and two blocks, a truly complete effort.

Less than two weeks later, Campazzo struck gold again, scoring 18 points, dishing another 12 assists, and nabbing four steals on Jan. 13 against the Portland Trail Blazers. Both of these performances came in massive winning efforts.

Campazzo's minutes began to decrease on Jan. 28, as he played in just 19 of the team's final 35 games. And after a one-game suspension for Game 1 of the Nuggets' first round series against the Golden State Warriors, he played in limited minutes for Games 2-5.

The Argentinian guard appeared in 65 games for the Nuggets in 2021-22, starting in four of them. In that time, he averaged 18.2 minutes per game.

Campazzo finished with statistical averages of 5.1 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.0 steals on 36.1% from the field, 30.1% from three, and 76.9% from the free throw line.

Among players with at least 20 games played, Campazzo was No. 1 on the Nuggets in steal percentage and No. 2 in assist percentage behind only Jokić. He also had the team's second highest defensive box plus-minus behind Jokić.

nuggets-2021-22-player-reviews-facundo-campazzo

Nuggets 2021-22 Player Reviews: Facundo Campazzo

The Denver Nuggets brought in Bryn Forbes as their highlight acquisition of the 2021-22 trade deadline. As an efficient, score-first point guard, the Nuggets were able too use Forbes as a depth piece to help offload the loss of Jamal Murray.

After a productive stint with the San Antonio Spurs to begin the season, Forbes picked up right where he left off when he got to Denver. He hit his three-pointers at a remarkably efficient rate after immediately being implemented into the rotation.

When the Nuggets were in need of quick offensive output in the second half of the season, they turned to Forbes. And when they got to the postseason, Forbes continued that role while also showing off some much-improved defensive chops.

Forbes certainly made the most of his opportunities with the Nuggets despite not making his team debut until late January.

Forbes spent the first three months of the 2021-22 season with the Spurs, where in a consistent role, he was one of the team's most explosive offensive weapons. However, with the trade deadline looming, Forbes was dealt to the Nuggets.

His arrival in Denver came as part of the three-team deal that sent PJ Dozier and Bol Bol to the Boston Celtics.

From there, it didn't take long for Forbes to make an impact. His first double-digit scoring affair came in just his second game with the Nuggets, a 12-point showing on 4-for-9 shooting from the field and 2-of-5 from three.

His best performance of the season came less than two weeks into his Nuggets tenure. Although it was in a losing effort to the Utah Jazz, on Feb. 2, Forbes scored 26 points on 10-for-13 from the field and 4-for-5 from three.

In Forbes' first 15 games with the team -- between the trade and the All-Star Break -- Forbes averaged 10.6 points per game, reaching double figures seven times.

After the break, his production slowed slightly. However, Forbes kept his efficient shooting numbers and a positive mentality despite the role change, ultimately earning himself playoff minutes.

He played 15.3 minutes per game in his five playoff appearances, shooting 36.4% from three and -- as mentioned previously -- playing stronger than anticipated defense against. the three-headed monster of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole.

Forbes appeared in 35 games for the Nuggets, appearing as a starter in one. He averaged 17.4 minutes per game in that span and scored 8.6 points per game.

His shooting splits were impressive, which has become par for the course in his career. Forbes shot 42.4% from the field, 41.0% from three, and 92.1% from the free throw line.

Among Nuggets players who played at least 20 games, Forbes had the third-highest three-point percentage.

nuggets-2021-22-player-reviews-bryn-forbes

Nuggets 2021-22 Player Reviews: Bryn Forbes

In his second NBA season, Arizona product Zeke Nnaji continued to show promise as a sharpshooting power forward for the Denver Nuggets. However, he also missed significant time with a lingering knee injury in the latter half of the year.

The former 22nd overall pick in the NBA Draft has -- in small doses -- proven himself to be worthy of where he was selected. For his career, he's shooting above 50% from the field and above 40% from three, which is by itself a hugely valuable skill in today's NBA.

In 2021-22, Nnaji took steps forward across the board, becoming an even more efficient shooter and scorer while continuing to develop on the defensive end. Had it not been for his injury, there's no telling how big of a role he could have played by the time the postseason came around.

Now, he'll have the summer to double down on his improvements from this season. Hopefully, he can return stronger, and be ready to step into a larger role for the Nuggets.

With the Nuggets having solid wing depth to begin the 2021-22 campaign, Nnaji was expected to spend another season learning behind Michael Porter Jr., PJ Dozier, and Aaron Gordon. But injuries to the former two thrust Nnaji into an unexpected role.

Nnaji played in just five of the team's first 17 games, scoring 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting in one of those five outings. But when Dozier went down in late November, Nnaji quickly became an every day player.

Over the next 16 games, Nnaji would play in all but one, averaging 16.5 minutes a night during that time. This stretch saw him play his best game of the season, when he dropped 21 points and eight rebounds 7-for-13 from the field in a 14-point win over the New York Knicks.

After missing three games at the beginning of January, Nnaji came back a full-fledged rotation player. He played each of the Nuggets' next 19 games, even making his lone start of the season. He played 18.6 minutes per contest, shooting an insane 62.8% from the field and 52.9% from three. He reached double-figure scoring in five of these games.

Nnaji suffered a knee injury -- luckily not season-ending -- against the Boston Celtics just before the All-Star Break. And while he was fortunate to not need knee surgery, bilateral knee soreness limited him to just two appearances the rest of the regular season.

By the time he returned, he was unable to find a rhythm in time to earn himself a spot in the playoff rotation, meaning it would be a frustrating end to a hugely positive season for Nnaji.

Nnaji finished the 2021-22 season with 41 games played -- one start -- on 17.0 minutes per night, signaling a 7.5-minute increase from his rookie year.

In that time, he averages 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game on shooting splits of 51.6% from the field, 46.3% from three, and 63.1% from the free throw line. Outside of free throw percentage, Nnaji improved in every major statistical category from 2020-21.

Among players with at least 20 games played, Nnaji had the team's highest three-point percentage and fourth-highest field goal percentage. Nnaji was second only to Nikola Jokić in win shares per 48 minutes.

nuggets-2021-22-player-reviews-zeke-nnaji

Nuggets 2021-22 Player Reviews: Zeke Nnaji

nikola-jokic-celebrates-winnings-nba-mvp-award-with-nuggets-executives

Nikola Jokić Celebrates Winnings NBA MVP Award With Nuggets Executives

The Denver Nuggets and JaMychal Green agreed to a two-year contract during the offseason, coming after Green's productive 2020-21 campaign with the team. Last season, Green's shooting made him an integral part of the Nuggets' wing depth, and he maintained that role in 2021-22.

Although Green's three-point shooting numbers took a dip in his second season with the Nuggets, he managed to increase his efficiency from inside the arc, while playing the strong perimeter defense that has been a staple of his eight-year career.

Green was also praised throughout the season for his leadership in the locker room. As one of the older players on the roster, Green brought a strong veteran presence to Denver, and was integral in keeping things together during harder periods of the season.

Like many Nuggets players this season, Green's role changed as the year progressed. When 2021-22 began, low shooting numbers from all phases limited him to under 15 minutes per night for the first 26 games.

But as injuries began to pile up -- especially along the wings with Michael Porter Jr. and PJ Dozier -- Green saw a bump in his minutes and his production.

After missing three games, Green had a strong stretch of 10 games from Dec. 22 to Jan. 11, when he shot 52.5% from the field, 35.3% from three, and 94.7% from the free throw line while starting three games.

He then entered the NBA's health and safety protocols, leading him to miss the Nuggets' next eight games. When he returned, he hit his stride as the team finally found him a more consistent role.

In the remaining two months of the season, Green was hugely productive from within the three-point line on offense. He also did an excellent job providing relief for Aaron Gordon and Jeff Green on defense, taking difficult wing assignments with the team continuing to fight for their postseason spot.

He averaged 18.0 minutes per game in the final 31 contests, hitting 53.8% of his field goals. Green's best game of the year came in a blowout win against the Portland Trail Blazers.

On Feb. 27, Green finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and a block on an incredibly efficient 7-of-8 from the field. The Nuggets defeated the Blazers by 32 points in that outing.

Green played in 67 games for the Nuggets in 2021-22, receiving a starting nod in eight of them. He received an average of 16.2 minutes per night, a slight decrease from his 2020-21 figure.

Defense and leadership were the defining features of Green's season, leaving an impact greater than what was seen on the stat sheet. Green was often a voice for the locker room, speaking publicly when issues arose.

He finished the year with 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on 48.6% from the field -- the third-best mark of his career -- 26.6% from three, and a career high 87.1% from the free throw line.

Among players with at least 20 games played, Green finished with the fourth-highest defensive box plus-minus. He also finished with the third-highest win shares per 48 minutes.

nuggets-2021-22-player-reviews-jamychal-green

Nuggets 2021-22 Player Reviews: JaMychal Green

Throughout his 10-year career, Austin Rivers has had the uncanny ability to mold to his team's needs. With the Los Angeles Clippers, he was a scorer, reaching averages of 15 points per game. But as he nears his 30s with the Denver Nuggets, he has shifted to become a defensive specialist.

With Jamal Murray missing the entirety of the 2021-22 season, Rivers helped to provide necessary depth at a position of need. At 22.1 minutes per game, Rivers wasn't asked to be a heavy scorer or shooter, something he has done with success at other points in his career.

Rivers was asked to preserve his energy for the defensive end, where he could often be seen locking up the opposing team's best offensive guard. In the playoffs, when facing the three-headed monster of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole, head coach Michael Malone turned to Rivers as his go-to guard stopper.

The impact Rivers had on the Nuggets this season cannot be fully proven on the box score, but there's no doubt he made his mark.

Rivers signed a one-year contract with the Nuggets in the offseason after spending a portion of the 2020-21 season with the team. However, Rivers struggled out of the gates of this campaign.

In his first 11 games, he averaged just 13.7 minutes per night, scoring 1.7 points on 22.9% from the field and 11.8% from three. His fortunes would quickly change, though, after a 12-point outing against the Dallas Mavericks in 29 minutes of play.

Over his next handful of games, he was playing over 23 minutes per night and making threes at a rate of 35.5%. Unfortunately, he would miss the next eight games in the NBA's health and safety protocols.

But when he returned, his continued strong play as a backup combo guard. Between Dec. 17 and Jan. 28, he made a blistering 40.5% of his threes, securing himself a permanent spot in the Nuggets rotation in that span.

Rivers' season high came on Jan. 26 against the Brooklyn Nets, when he finished with 25 points and two steals on 7-for-10 from beyond the arc in a six-point victory.

The rest of the way, Rivers provided quality minutes defensively while still maintaining solid offensive numbers. Malone -- on several occasions -- expressed his belief in Rivers to do the dirty work on the defensive end for the Nuggets.

Which is why when their first round series against the Warriors came along, Malone openly stated that Rivers would play a massive role. And in Games 1-4, he averaged 26.0 minutes per game, with his primary focus being Curry.

In today's NBA, adaptability is a necessary trait. Rivers displayed that and more during his time with the Nuggets.

Rivers played 67 games for the Nuggets during the 2021-22 regular season, starting in 18 of them and averaging 22.1 minutes per contest. In that time, he finished with figures of 6.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 41.7% from the field, 34.2% from three, and 72.7% from the free throw line.

Rivers also averaged 0.8 steals per game, the second-highest steal count of his career. He had his second-best defensive box plus minus in 10 seasons, while also continuing a streak of positive defensive win shares.

nuggets-2021-22-player-reviews-austin-rivers

Nuggets 2021-22 Player Reviews: Austin Rivers

Nuggets star Nikola Jokić tells Vic Lombardi than he doesn't even need to close his eyes to envision a championship celebration in Denver one day.

nikola-jokic-sees-championship-in-nuggets-future

Nikola Jokić Sees Championship In Nuggets Future

Some of the best plays and moments from Nikola Jokić's historic back-to-back 2021-22 MVP season.

nikola-jokic-mvp-highlight-reel

Nikola Jokić MVP Highlight Reel

Presented by

Western Union

Denver Nuggets Official Watch Party TONIGHT, Presented by Pointsbet! Come to Tom’s Watch Bar to watch the game, see Rocky, and win prizes. For the full Watch Party schedule <a href="https://www.nba.com/nuggets/watch-parties">Click Here</a>