In an effort to keep the Nuggets fresh for the playoffs, Michael Malone went exclusively with his bench in the fourth quarter against the Western Conference-leading Lakers. They almost did the unthinkable as they couldn’t hold on to a late lead after a heartbreaking three from Kyle Kuzma in a 124-121 defeat. PJ Dozier almost led Denver to an upset with the reserve guard pouring in a career-high 18 points. The Nuggets would have seven scorers in double-digits. LeBron James’ 29 points helped his team secure the win.
"Just couldn't be more proud of our group, I thought we play extremely hard," Malone said. "[This is the] fourth time we played them, every game has been a battle -- It's gone down to the wire. For us to sit our starters that whole fourth quarter, and to have guys on the bench out there and give them all they can handle and lose a heartbreaker is always tough, but [I'm] just so proud."
Here are the takeaways:
Three-point defense becoming a real concern The final bucket of the game said it all. Kyle Kuzma was able to get wide open from downtown to bury what would be the dagger against the Nuggets with .4 seconds remaining. Three-pointers have hurt Denver throughout their entire stay in the bubble and their inability to contain opponents’ three-point shooting must be corrected ahead of the playoffs…or else. In the five games prior to Monday’s game, Denver allowed its opponents to shoot 44.4 percent from downtown – second to worst in the NBA during that span. The Lakers entered the game sitting 24th in the league in three-point percentage at 34.6. The Nuggets allowed them to shoot 48.9 percent on 29 threes. What’s even more worrying is the fact that the Nuggets are trending downward in their three-point defense, going from third in that category to sitting 15th.
Unsung heroes Michael Porter Jr. has rightly gotten a lot of attention for his stellar play in the bubble, but PJ Dozier also deserves some praise for his production during the NBA’s restart. Similar to Porter Jr., Dozier has taken full advantage of extra playing time and it’s a credit to his hard-fought journey to Denver. It was his career-high 18 points that gave the Nuggets a much-needed punch and sparked the bench to outscore the Lakers reserves 61-28. Dozier went undrafted in 2017 and he’s bounced around from team to team, playing with the Thunder, Celtics and G League teams OKC Blue and Maine Red Claws, before landing with the Nuggets. After putting up G League MVP numbers with the Windy City Bulls, Dozier finally made his debut for Denver in January and has been steadily trending upward.
"PJ's always had it," Malone said. "I've always been a big PJ Dozier fan and I've always trusted him."
He added, "He's an NBA player and he's proven that in this bubble."
Dozier’s numbers in the bubble don’t jump off the page as he’s been averaging 7.6 points, 3.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds. But there is no question the Nuggets wouldn’t be sitting with a 3-3 record since the NBA’s restart without his presence on both ends of the floor.
"It's been good for us young guys [the extra playing time], being able to have these opportunities," Dozier said. "It's been good to get some experience under our belt with the lack of numbers that we've had."
In an apparent effort to keep the starters fresh in the playoffs, Malone went with his reserves in the fourth quarter and there were plenty of positives that came out of it. Keita Bates-Diop, who got his first taste of extended action as a Nugget with Jerami Grant out due to injury, shined with 10 points and four rebounds. He made some key plays in the final 12 minutes and shot 3 of 4 in the quarter. Finally, it would be remiss not to mention the strong performances from Monte Morris, who finished with 14 and four dimes, and Mason Plumlee, who added 11 points and four assists. Denver’s bench scored 31 points in the fourth quarter and was going up against the Lakers’ starters. That speaks to the incredible depth built by the Nuggets’ front office and the stellar coaching done by Malone and his staff. MPJ=Perfect Yes, it was a shortened appearance, but this space is starting to run out of superlatives for Porter Jr. The Nuggets rookie had his fifth consecutive strong showing in the bubble, scoring 15 points and adding four rebounds on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting in just 25 minutes. Porter Jr. did most of his damage in the first half, where he scored 13 and gave the Lakers defense fits throughout the contest. Although there were still some defensive hiccups, it’s hard to imagine the rookie not having a significant role in the upcoming postseason. He’s that good.