Another season in the books!
As we like to do here, we're taking a look at some of the key statistics that have defined the 2023-24 Denver Nuggets season. We checked in with the squad at the mid-point of the season, Game 41, and now we're seeing where things shook out with all 82 games completed.
AS A TEAM:
- The Nuggets tied their single-season win record with 57 victories.
- Denver had the second-best home record by going 33-8 at Ball Arena.
- They had the NBA's best record against below-.500 teams at 28-2!
- Denver was fourth in net rating.
- They were fifth in the NBA on offense.
- The Nuggets finished ninth on defense. That's the best defensive performance of the Nikola Jokić era!
- The Nuggets posted the fourth-best field goal percentage in the NBA.
- Denver finished third in assists with 29.5 per game.
- The Nuggets finished seventh in average rebounds.
- They were the NBA's best team in the clutch (games decided by 5 points or fewer in the last 5 minutes) according to net rating. Denver had the NBA's second-best clutch defense.
- The Nuggets led the league in contested rebounds.
- Opponents shot just 63 percent from the field against Denver. That was the NBA's sixth-best defensive field goal percentage.
- Denver led the league in post-up possessions and was third in post-up efficiency.
- The Nuggets finished tied as the third-best pick-and-roll defense in the league.
- Denver averaged the third-most handoffs in the NBA and was eighth in handoff efficiency.
- Denver had the NBA's fifth-best spot-up shooting efficiency.
- They averaged the third-most off-ball cuts in the NBA and ranked seventh in cutting efficiency.
- The Nuggets averaged the sixth-most off-ball screens in the NBA and ranked fifth in shooting efficiency on off-ball plays.
- No one in the NBA guarded spot-up shots better than the Nuggets.
- The Nuggets had the NBA's best shooting accuracy from the non-restricted painted area. This is typically where players take hook shots and floaters from.
- Denver was fourth in non-corner three-point percentage and third in midrange shooting percentage.
- Denver was sixth in half-court offense.
- They were fifth in half-court defense. That's the best half-court defense of the Jokić era.
- The Nuggets generated the second-most total assists on two-pointers in the NBA.
NIKOLA JOKIĆ
...had a lot of CRAZY statistics, all of which you can view HERE.
JAMAL MURRAY:
- Murray had a career year by almost every single statistic. For starters, he tied his career-high in scoring with 21.2 points per game.
- Murray's 6.5 assists per game was a career-high. His 31.2 percent assist percentage was also a career-high.
- Jamal shot a career-high 48.1 percent from the field.
- His 42.5 percent accuracy from three-point range was another career-high!
- He blocked a career-high 37 total shots.
- Murray posted career-highs in VORP (Value Over Replacement Player), PER (Player Efficiency Rating), Win Shares, Defensive Win Shares, Box Plus-Minus, Defensive Box Plus-Minus, and Offensive Box Plus-Minus.
- Murray's 42.6 percent pull-up three-point percentage ranked third in the NBA for players who took at least 100 off-the-dribble threes.
- His 44.7 percent shooting on non-corner three-pointers ranked third among players who took at least 100 above-the-break three-pointers. That's also a career-high for him.
- He shot a career-high 47 percent from the midrange. That was the eleventh-best midrange shooting percentage for players who took at least 200 midrange shots.
- Murray made 43.4 percent of his step-back three-pointers.
MICHAEL PORTER JR.
- Porter Jr. suited up a career-high 81 times this season. He missed just one total game! A remarkable feat for a player who underwent three separate back surgeries before 23 years old.
- MPJ shot the best percentage from the midrange in the entire NBA at 52.4 percent (minimum 200 attempts).
- Mike averaged a career-high 1.5 assists.
KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE:
- Caldwell-Pope shot a career-high 89.4 percent from the free-throw line. He was Denver's best free-throw shooter.
- KCP shot a career-high 46 percent from the midrange.
- Denver was plus-13.4 points per 100 possessions better on offense with Caldwell-Pope on the floor. That's the best mark of offensive efficiency in his career, and only Jokić made a bigger impact on Denver's offense.
- For the third time in four seasons, KCP shot at least 40 percent from three-point land.
AARON GORDON:
- Gordon ranked sixth in the NBA in total dunks with 171.
- He shot 70 percent near the rim for the fourth consecutive season. He's never been below 70 percent at the basket as a Nugget.
- AG was the NBA's best cutter according to points per possession for players with at least 100 cutting possessions.
- The Nuggets outscored opponents by 4 points per 100 possessions with Gordon at center. He remains a small-ball cheat code.
PEYTON WATSON:
- Opponents shot just 50.5 percent when directly challenging Watson at the rim. That's the second-best at-rim defensive field goal percentage in the NBA (minimum 200 shots). Only Ivica Zubac, a center, protected the basket better. Watson led all wings and guards in this category.
- Watson blocked 88 total shots this season. That's tied with Toronto's Scottie Barnes for the most blocked shots by a player 6'10 or below. However, Barnes played 606 more total minutes this season. Watson ranked 14th overall in total blocks.
- Watson held his matchups to just 42.4 percent shooting from the field. That ranks third out of the 264 players who contested 400 or more field goals.
- Peyton played in 81 out of 82 games this season.
CHRISTIAN BRAUN:
- Braun played in all 82 games this season.
- Christian averaged career-highs in points (7.3), rebounds (3.7), assists (1.6), and blocks (0.4).
- He shot a career-high 38.4 percent from three-point land on 164 total attempts. That's 1.8 percent better than the league average from deep!
- Braun made 42.9 percent of his above-the-break three-pointers. That's the seventh-best percentage in the NBA for players who took at least 100 non-corner threes.
REGGIE JACKSON:
- Reggie did not a miss game this year. All 82!
- He shot 40.3 percent on catch-and-shoot three-pointers.