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BRUCE BROWN: THE UNSUNG HERO BEHIND DENVER'S GAME 5 VICTORY OVER PHOENIX

Matt Brooks
Writer & Digital Content Specialist

Denver's playoff run has largely been shaped by two things.

The first is rebounding. The Nuggets are 7-1 when they outrebound their opponent in the 2023 postseason.

Bench scoring has also been especially important for the Mile High crew. Denver is 4-1 in the playoffs when their reserves outscore the opponent. If that doesn't happen, and Denver loses the bench-scoring battle, the Nuggets have gone just 1-3.

Denver entered Game 5 tied 2-2 with the Suns after a pair of disappointing losses in Phoenix. Game 4 was especially discouraging. It appeared as if Phoenix had cracked Denver's defense by changing up its rotation and placing additional shooting on the floor to surround Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Suns' reserve Landry Shamet was the story of Game 4 after hitting 5 second-half three-pointers for 19 huge points.

Once again, it was bench scoring that was the major storyline in the second-round series, as Phoenix won handily in this category in Game 4, 40-11.

That brings us to Game 5.

Denver took a firm grip on the series with a 118-102 victory over Phoenix. Moreover, it reclaimed its advantage on the bench and won 34-26 in backup scoring.

Leading the pack was super-sub Bruce Brown, who Michael Malone has referred to as his "sixth starter" all season long. Brown put up 25 points on Tuesday night, which was the fourth-most points any reserve has scored in the 2023 postseason. He became just the twelfth player in Nuggets' history to drop 25+ points off the bench in the playoffs.

"I love Bruce," said Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. "He took over for us, and we enjoyed it."

Brown took over by simply picking his spots wisely and playing directly to his strengths. Playing downhill in the pick-and-roll game, leaking out in transition, and cutting off the ball are all ways that Brown has dug out a firm spot in this talented Denver rotation.

It's why he's the ultimate role player.

In doing so, he finished with a remarkably efficient 7-of-11 shooting line and two three-pointers. His aggressiveness resulted in 10 free throws, tied for the second-most free throws any reserve has drawn in the 2023 postseason, and Brown made all but one of them.

"He can push the pace, he can defend, he can go downhill, and he had ten free throws," said Nikola Jokić. "Going downhill, breaking that first line of defense... He was really good today."

Transition scoring largely dictated Games 3 and 4: Phoenix beat Denver 23-11 and 20-11 in fastbreak scoring in back-to-back contests en route to two victories on their home floor.

As such, Michael Malone made transition defense and offense a major point of emphasis in Game 5. It was Bruce Brown who delivered, racking up 6 of his 10 total free throws by beating the pack down the floor on the fastbreak. Brown's been one of Denver's best transition players all season, scoring 1.33 points per 100 possessions in transition (good for the 85th percentile), and Game 5 was no exception.

"That's just my game. That's when I'm at my best. My teammates just kept telling me to push the ball, go get easy ones, and not get back. So I just try to find seams I can get through," explained Brown.

Brown displayed his fancy portfolio of finishing moves around the rim on the fastbreak. A low gather under the arms of his defender to draw contact. He busted out a sweet in-n-out dribble to shake his former teammate, Durant. He even hit a "push cross" to get to his preferred right hand for free throws.

Game 5 highlighted the dribbling improvements Brown has made this season, and why Malone has entrusted him with handling the ball so much more than his previous destinations. Denver scored 31 fast-break points behind Brown's fearlessness, the most they'd ever scored in a playoff game in franchise history.

"Playing downhill, playing to the rim, playing in attack mode," said Michael Malone. "That's when Bruce is at his best... I thought Bruce's productivity and aggression and toughness were much needed."

Brown's transformation this season has been remarkable. He was primarily used as a screener-and-roller in Brooklyn, recording 64 possessions as the roll-man in his first season there. Conversely, he handled the ball in the pick-and-roll just 19 times in his second Nets' season.

His role has completely flipped in Denver. Brown was used as Denver's roll man only 11 times all season. Meanwhile, he led the pick-and-roll dance as the ball-handler for 203 total possessions.

He's one of the most malleable role players in the NBA. Plain and simple.

"I mean, I was thinking about it the other day talking to my buddies: I've probably played every position that you can play. It just shows you that I'm a hooper. You can just put me on the floor, and I'll make plays no matter what position I'm in. And I'll just do what's best for the team," Brown said on May 2.

Using Brown as the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll has been a successful venture in the postseason. Denver has scored 1.13 points per 100 possessions with him handling the rock in 31 total possessions, good for the 88th percentile.

This is another area where you get a feel for Brown's advancements as a player. He "rejected" Nikola Jokić's screen by going in the opposite direction from the screen before it was set to catch the defense off-guard in the third quarter. He also nailed a deep floater over the outstretched arms of Jock Landale late in the fourth, a shot he's a very solid 46 percent on in the postseason.

"Bruce, like, he's downhill. Making shots. Putting pressure on the rim. Making those floaters," said Jamal Murray after Game 5 with a confident laugh. "He's a hooper, man. So I give him a lot of credit. Just picking us up and staying consistent throughout all game. Just attacking. So he was great. Both ends, as well."

Through it all, Brown's never lost his ability to cut off-ball, which carved him out a place in the league in the first place. Denver averaged 1.40 points per 100 possessions in the regular season on the 52 possessions that Brown was used as a cutter, good for the 72nd percentile. He's been just as effective in the postseason, generating 1.50 points per 100 possessions as a cutter, a 76th percentile rating.

This shouldn't come as a shock, by the way. Players that move well away from the ball fit like a hand-in-glove next to Nikola Jokić, who has as good of a case as anyone for being the best passer in the NBA and is currently averaging 10 assists per game against Phoenix.

Stay active next to Jokić, and you'll be rewarded. It's pretty simple.

Jokić and Brown connected twice in Game 5 for some gorgeous give-and-go action. Denver ran the same play twice with Bruce dishing to Jokić in the high post and then dashing toward the rim past his defender for the bucket.

"I got two, I think, back cuts today and his eyes got big," said Brown about his give-and-go chemistry with Jokić in Game 5. "So that's why I've seen it. So, I mean, yeah, he just makes the game super easy."

Brown has been a revelation for the Nuggets every step of the way this season. No matter what's asked of him, whether it's a new positional delegation or extra responsibilities within the offense, Bruce has accepted that role willingly. In a pivotal Game 5 with his team needing a spark on the fastbreak, Brown delivered with his second-highest-scoring outing of the season.

"Bruce, he's a hell of a ball player. And I expect him to come out and have another game like that. You know, I don't think these guys really have an answer for Bruce," said Aaron Gordon. "He's too big for the littler guards and too fast for some of the bigger forwards and centers."