2017-18 Season Review

To Kenneth Faried, the answer to what he would be as a player on the court has always been simple and succinct.

“You’re going to see Manimal,” the seven-year veteran forward said. “Every time I step on the court.”

“I wear my heart on my sleeve,” Faried said. “And every night you see me going out there and playing with my heart on my sleeve. I make those emotional plays – the diving, jumping, whatever. People look at me like, ‘that’s the Manimal.’

To that end, Faried put all of that emotion in his appearances on the court. Per 36 minutes, Faried led the Nuggets – the players who appeared in over 25 games – in average charges drawn, was third in screen assists, fifth in contested 2-point shots, and was fifth in contested shots of all kinds.

Faried played in 32 games (14.4 minutes per game), with averages of 5.9 points and 4.8 rebounds. Extrapolated over 36 minutes, those averages would be 14.7 points and 12.0 rebounds. So, from a production standpoint, Faried packed a lot into his time on the court.

His heaviest stint of playing time came in the immediate aftermath of Paul Millsap��s wrist injury in November. In eight games from Nov. 24-Dec. 10 Faried started in six of them, played an average of 27.1 minutes, and averaged 11.9 points and 9.5 rebounds in those contests. The Nuggets were 3-0 when he scored at least 14 points in those games, and were 2-1 when he had a double-double.

And his biggest impact offensively came in transition and as the roll man in pick-and-roll action. In transition, Faried scored 1.25 points per possession and shot 69.6 percent from the field. In rolls to the basket, Faried scored 1.304 points per possession, and shot 61.9 percent. With his athleticism, he was a constant lob threat in screen-roll action, and he finished a ton of them.

Defensively, Faried was an improved defender in space. Opponents averaged just 29 percent shooting against him in isolation plays. Faried will continue to improve in pick-and-roll actions, as well as defending post-ups.

And when he wasn’t playing, Faried supported his teammates.

“It’s just a matter of me being on the court or whatever happens – me being an assistant, helping coach the people that’s on the court,” he said. “Whatever I need to do, I know how to get there to help my team.”

Christopher Dempsey: christopher.dempsey@altitude.tv and @chrisadempsey on Twitter.

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2017-18 Nuggets Player Breakdown: Kenneth Faried

From the moment Richard Jefferson stepped in front of the microphones in his first press conference as a Denver Nugget, it was like a night at The Improv.

"I'm so old,” he said, “I don't care about what my playing role is.”

The jokes and one-liners flowed out of Jefferson like water from a faucet.

Yet, Jefferson’s presence on the team was a much more serious thing. The Nuggets added him for his experience and his voice. They needed more veteran leadership. Jefferson embraced it right away.

"My job is to kind of get here and be the old grumpy man and make sure everybody's working and making sure guys are putting in that extra time," Jefferson said. "Because the first step is figuring out how to belong in this league, the next thing is figuring out how to contribute and the next thing is learning how to win."

There wasn’t an expectation for big playing time, and in fact Jefferson played sparingly, appearing in 20 games. Yet, he still became a hit with media, doing multiple interviews, and bringing along his popular “Road Trippin” podcast. And he became a hit with his teammates, providing advice at the right time or much-needed levity in a heavy moment.

In the end, Jefferson played the role he expected to near perfection. In an interview with the Boston Globe, he talked about the Nuggets, and his longevity, in greater detail.

“I think we really have young players that want to do well and excel in this league, if anything I’m more of a confirmation voice that they’re working as hard as they should and they’re playing as hard as they should,” Jefferson said. “After you hit about 10 years in this league you start to experience the [age difference] because guys that are 19 were 9 when you came into this league. The first time I heard that was Year 9 or Year 10, and it’s something that you get used to.

“People want to make it seem like old jokes, but at the end of the day I pray that everyone in this league gets to 17 years. I pray that every one of these guys gets an opportunity to play well past their prime. That’s a compliment to work ethic and health. As much as there’s jokes, there needs to be compliments said about guys that have the ability to stay around.”

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2017-18 Nuggets Player Breakdown: Richard Jefferson

Prior to every game he played, two-way contract Nuggets guard Monte Morris received a text from his mom. The most important line was a reoccurring one:

“Don’t play with your food,” the text said. “I never let you do that.”

But then, Morris never really had to be reminded of that.

He is as motivated as they come. A second-round Nuggets selection last summer, Morris played the majority of the season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the G League with averages of 18.0 points, 6.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals.

Morris played in three games with the Nuggets.

And if you’re looking for a box score that provides a clear view of what Morris could do on a regular basis, his night with the Nuggets at the Houston Rockets on Feb. 9 provides a window.

In 22 minutes, Morris scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, had six assists and three steals. He faced one of his NBA idols, Chris Paul, and walked away with a couple of moves to add to his arsenal. But more than anything, Morris put speed on the court. He made shots. He got the ball to the right players in positions to score. And on defense he was quick and played with great anticipation.

Morris’ ability to play fast without turning the ball over was attractive to the Nuggets in the lead up to last year’s draft. His assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.51 in the G League backed up everything he accomplished in four years of college at Iowa State.

But Morris was also able to get experience off the ball as shooting guard, and he shot 47.3 percent overall, and 34.4 percent from the 3-point line.

“I’m just playing my game, doing whatever the defense tells me to do,” said Morris in an interview with Altitude Sports during the season. “They want to see me knock down shots, and I challenge myself every night the lights come on to do that. If they want me to do that I’ve got to do that.”

With the Nuggets backup point guard situation in flux, Morris stands to get a long look this offseason to be added to the permanent Nuggets roster and play significant meaningful minutes in 2018-19.
“I’ve got to attack,” Morris said. “I’ve got to do this. This is one of my steppingstones in my career, and it will make the story better later on.”

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2017-18 Nuggets Player Breakdown: Monte Morris

Darrell Arthur’s evolution from leading solely – or mostly – by example, to finding more instances to be vocal, started in earnest last summer.

That was when Arthur, the veteran Nuggets forward, dipped his toe into the world of coaching, hanging around the Nuggets summer league, giving pointers to the young players and getting a clearer view of what it might be like to coach. As it turned out, Arthur would put a lot of that to practice during the 2017-18 season – and excel in the role.

A glut of forwards on the roster suppressed Arthur’s playing time on the court. He appeared in 19 games. But he stood out in his worth in the locker room. And that quickly earned the respect of Nuggets coach Michael Malone.

“He’s putting the team above everything, above himself, which, when we talk about our culture — our work culture, a trust culture, and a selfless culture — he embodies being selfless,” said Malone during the season. “He is putting everybody else above his own personal wants and needs which you have to admire and respect. I think, even though he’s not impacting us on the court… his impact off the court, in the locker room, and in the practice court is tremendous.”

And when he was on the court, Arthur flashed the reliable jump shot and steady defense that has become his calling card. In pick-and-roll situations, the majority of which Arthur popped out for a jump shot, he averaged 1.333 points per possession and shot 63 percent. The best example of that was his 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting overall – 2-of-3 from the 3-point line – in a Nuggets’ win over Charlotte on Feb. 5 at the Pepsi Center. He added two steals in that contest.

But it was his work in pregame 3-on-3 contests, which helped keep teammates ready to play, plus his advice and general support that were his most important contributions.

“What really separates him, I think, is that the players have so much respect for Darrell Arthur,” Malone said. “Because every single day whether it’s a (practice) day…when we are not doing a lot or days when we are going hard, he goes 110 percent. So when he does speak, players listen to him, because he is doing it.

“There are guys that are telling you what to do, but they are not doing it themselves. (Arthur) sets the example first and foremost, and then he gets on guys – whether it’s to hold them accountable or to encourage them. With all our young players, they listen to him. His voice carries weight and I think it really starts with the fact that he sets the example every single day and that’s why the players respect him so much.”

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2017-18 Nuggets Player Breakdown: Darrell Arthur

It was career year for Will Barton, who enjoyed a bigger role with the Nuggets and turned it into his best stats as a pro.

His 15.7 points, 4.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 33.1 minutes and 45.2 percent shooting from the field were all career highs. His 2.22 assist-to-turnover ratio was second on the team only to Devin Harris (2.48).

And he was the most versatile player on the team, playing point guard, shooting guard and small forward, and doing all of that in both starting and reserve roles. Barton is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Nuggets would like him back in their uniform.

“All I can speak to is my relationship with Will Barton and how much I care about him as a person, first and foremost,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “And then you speak to the fact that he wore so many hats this year – starter, off the bench, backup point guard, two-guard, small forward. It doesn’t matter with Will. He’s a basketball player.”

Barton also wore another significant hat: Closer.

He led the Nuggets in average fourth quarter minutes at 9.3. His 4.0 points per fourth quarter was second on the team only to Jamal Murray’s 4.3. Barton was also nearly automatic from the free throw line when the Nuggets needed it most, making 33-of-35 (94.3 percent) from the charity stripe in the clutch. That was fourth-best in the NBA among players who had taken at least 15 clutch time free throws in the regular season.

“And, to see him step up in the manner in which he did when Gary Harris was out late, that allowed us to go 8-3 in the last 11 games; that allowed us to go 6-1 to close out the season,” Malone said. “I thought Will was fantastic. I think he improved this year defensively. … He had a career season. He was a big part of what did this year, and I would love nothing more than to have Will Barton back in a Denver Nugget uniform.”

OFFENSE: Barton played more in transition, and more analytically.

The percentage of his total shots that were 3-pointers jumped from 35.3 percent in 2016-17 to 41.1 percent this season. Additionally, Barton scored 44.5 percent of his total points in the paint, his highest percentage in three years, which was a two percent jump over the 2016-17 season. Barton reduced his midrange shooting, taking just 83 shots from that space this season. He took 93 last season.

Changes in the frequency of his on-ball actions lent themselves to his ability to play at the arc or at the rim. These are his most used actions in each of the last two seasons. As you can see, the order is exactly the same. The percentages of times these actions were used, however, are very different.

Pick-and-roll, ball handler: 26.2 percent

Pick-and-roll, ball handler: 30.2 percent

So, more transition, more spot up shooting, and fewer times handling the ball in pick-and-roll circumstances, which many times puts the player in situations to take midrange shots. Barton took a career-high 5.2 3-point shots per game and equaled his career high 3-point percentage, making 37 percent of his attempts from the arc.

In total, his offensive improvements were a continuation of Barton smoothing out the rough edges of his game, and honing-in on the things he does best. And he accomplished it this season under the pressure of playing three different positions, many times playing multiple positions in a game each night.

DEFENSE: Nuggets coach Michael Malone has spoken to Barton’s improvement on the defensive end. Barton agreed, but added he’s got continued work to do.

There were only two Nuggets to have at least 80 steals and 50 blocks this season – Nikola Jokić (90/61) and Barton (82/52). Barton’s on-ball defense was much-improved this season, so much so that he found himself regularly on the court in defensive lineups in critical games late in the season.

In pick-and-roll coverages, Barton will continue to work on fighting through screens more consistently. On the weak side, Barton said he has to continue to work on his help defense while also keeping track of his man.

But by any measure, this season was a nice step forward for Barton.

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2017-18 Nuggets Player Breakdown: Will Barton

All that stands between Gary Harris and widespread national recognition that he is, in fact, one of the NBA’s best shooting guards, is probably a playoff appearance.

All of the other boxes are quickly being checked off.

And it wasn’t just his teammates, coach Michael Malone or the Nuggets front office personnel that have publicly expressed it. Coaches around the league made note of their respect for how Harris plays on both ends of the court.

Sacramento coach Dave Joerger, who has seen Harris up-close in the player’s four-year career in games against him, was the most effusive in his praise.

“I think he’s a superhuman guy,” Joerger said. “He has high character. I think he’s the kind of guy that you build a franchise around. He’s a quality dude, works hard and plays the way you’re supposed to play. I’ve always been a fan. I’m just very impressed.”

This season was the best defensive rating of Harris’ career (107.5), the most minutes per game of his career (34.4), the best net rating of his career (3.2) and the highest usage rate of his career (20.6 percent). No player averaged more minutes on the Nuggets team than Harris did.

Among NBA shooting guards, a position that is quietly experiencing a comeback, Harris ranked 11th in points per game, fourth in field goal percentage (48.5), 13th in 3-point percentage (39.6) and third in steals (122).

With a career-high average of 17.5 points, Harris had 23 games of 20 or more points. And those 20-point games meant a lot to the success level of the team. When Harris scored at least 20 points, the Nuggets were 15-8. When he scored 25 or more, the Nuggets were 7-2.

OFFENSE: Harris had to work through one big adjustment opposing defenses made against him this season – not allowing the straight line cuts to the basket off of dribble handoff action with Nikola Jokic, or any kind of backdoor cutting action. Harris’ cuts were 5.9 percent of all of his offense this season. That was down from 12.2 percent in 2016-17, which is a huge drop. He averaged 1.394 points per possession in cuts last season – and that actually rose this season to 1.422 points per possession. But Harris, in 67 games, only got 45 field goal attempts total from cuts. He had 77 field goal attempts from cuts last season in 10 FEWER games played. So, you understand how intent opponents were on stopping those easy buckets.

Harris countered with additional playmaking and improved off-ball movement on the perimeter. Offensively, Harris ran 1.26 miles on offense, according to NBA Stats, which was second on the team only to Jamal Murray (1.33), who played 14 more games than Harris did. So much of that was movement to get himself open, handling the ball coming off dribble hand-off and screen-roll action, getting to a corner early for a potential quick catch-and-shoot opportunity at the beginning of the shot clock, or floating along the 3-point line to as the ball was whipped around the court to find an open area in the defense. Harris had to be more active to get himself open, and he was.

And this was the season where Harris became a big-time shot-maker in clutch situations, most notably hitting a memorable game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Oklahoma City on Feb. 1.

His accuracy from the field made him arguably the most reliable offensive player the Nuggets had. Harris’s next frontier? Cracking the 20-point mark for a season. He averaged 20.4 points in January, shooting sizzling percentages of 50.7 percent from the field, 41.4 percent from the 3-point line, and 88.6 percent from the free throw line. Also, adding to his rebounding totals.

DEFENSE: Harris entered the NBA known for his ability to shut opposing perimeter players down on defense. In 2017-18, he took huge steps getting right back to that personality on the court.

And he was good, especially in clutch situations. He had six steals in clutch time, which helped the Nuggets take a lead, tie a game or preserve a lead.

Overall, he was improved in chasing opposing perimeter threats to force tough shots – and subpar games – out of them. In off-screen, hand-off and spot-up actions, opponents shot no better than 38 percent against Harris. In off-screen and hand-offs – two of the hardest plays to cover – opponents shot just 31.6 and 30.2 percent, respectively.

A late knee injury removed Harris from the lineup for 11 of the final 13 games of the season, a major blow to the Nuggets as they fought to qualify for the playoffs. He’ll get the knee back to 100 percent in the offseason, and be counted on once again for major production and leadership next season.

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2017-18 Nuggets Player Breakdown: Gary Harris

Trey Lyles’ postseason tweet from his account, @TreyLyles, was short but substantive.

“Year 3 in the books. Best year so far! Thank you Denver for a great year!”

Perhaps no Nuggets player has a more fascinating arc of potential than Lyles. And few players got more out of their time on the court than the third-year forward did in 2017-18.

Let’s start with his raw stats. Lyles, who the Nuggets acquired in a draft day trade with the Utah Jazz last June, averaged 9.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and shot 49.1 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from the 3-point line. Lyles’ points, rebounds, assists and overall shooting percentage were all career bests. He played an average of 19.1 minutes in 73 games.

So, basically, Lyles averaged 10 points in 19 minutes per game, which is solid.

Here’s where things get real interesting real fast. Lyles’ Per 36 averages are these: 18.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Even more intriguing? When Lyles played at least 25 minutes in a game, which occurred 23 times, he averaged 17.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and shot 55 percent from the field and 44 percent from the 3-point line. So, both in a realistic sense and in a projected sense, Lyles is a player that profiles to being a highly productive player the more he is on the court.

One last stat: Lyles had six double-doubles, which was second only to Nikola Jokić (38) on the team. That is remarkable given his unpredictable playing time, and, again, lends itself to evidence of how much Lyles was able to do in limited minutes.

At the time he met media for his postseason press conference he had not yet met with coach Michael Malone on what the future might hold. He did put his season into perspective.

“Personally, it was up-and-down,” Lyles said. “From not playing, to playing a lot, to playing a little bit, to not playing at all. But that’s how it goes and this summer I’m looking forward to getting better and making sure next year that I’m playing all the time.”

OFFENSE: Lyles’ 3-point shooting and post-up combination was arguably the best on the team, this side of Jokic. As a spot-up shooter – the majority of which were 3-point shots – Lyles averaged 1.101 points per possession, per Synergy stats, and shot 44.1 percent in those actions. Spot-up shooting accounted for 29.4 percent of all of Lyles’ offensive actions. Lyles was good in catch-and-shoot situations, making 40.3 percent of those tries.

Add to that Lyles’ ability to post up – and be very effective in doing so. In fact, among players that used post ups at least 13 percent of the time, Lyles was in the top 10 in the NBA at 1.045 points per possession. And Lyles was smart about when he stepped out to hit a 3-point shot, or took the post-up, usually taking advantage of the matchup. He ran bigger, slower players around the perimeter, or caught the ball at the arc and drove to the rim. When smaller players were deployed to guard him at the 3-point line, Lyles simply posted them up and scored in the paint. Getting Lyles the ball on the left block was a key for the Nuggets’ offense when he was on the court.

Overall, Lyles proved to be a capable offensive player in nearly every category. At 6-10, 234 pounds, he was stronger than opponents thought, more explosive than they thought, and had great touch in the paint and on the perimeter. Lyles was over a point per possession – which is good – in spot-up, post-up, transition, pick-and-roll, and cuts. He shot over 50 percent in post-ups (55.9), pick-and-roll (51.9) and cuts (79.1).

Last season, it was Will Barton whose on-court stats suggested he should see more time. This season, Lyles is that player.

DEFENSE: As quiet as it’s kept, Lyles was one of the Nuggets’ better big defenders in pick-and-roll circumstances. He adhered to the principles taught, rarely getting too deep when ‘catching’ the ball handler coming around the screen. And then Lyles did a couple of things well after that: First, if the ball handler got a shot up in the paint, Lyles was good at getting both hands up to get a solid contest of the shot. Second, he was sneaky athletic, and could recover to get blocked shots if players did get by him and get to the rim. Opponents shot just 30.5 percent when he was the big defender in pick-and-roll.

And, as with his offense, Lyles showed nimble feet on defense in getting out to shooters. Opponents shot just 33.9 percent against him in spot-up shooting situations. Lyles was one of six Nuggets to have at least 30 steals and 30 blocks during the season.

Lyles has a lot of hope for the future, and with good reason.

“I think (this season) shows everybody that this is my best year so far, without a doubt,” Lyles said. “I felt – and feel – really comfortable on this team, and I’m looking forward to next season.”

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2017-18 Nuggets Player Breakdown: Trey Lyles

Nuggets coach Michael Malone was steadfast all season long when asked if he knew Torrey Craig could really, truly, help.

Malone’s unwavering faith in the undrafted free agent signee is part of the reason Craig – on a two-way contract – was brought up from the G-League so quickly to play in the NBA. Here is another reason: 22.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.0 blocks, 1.1 steals, 47.5 percent shooting from the field, and 38.6 percent shooting from the 3-point line. Craig, playing with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, dominated the G-League in a way that could not be ignored.

And in his first game with the Nuggets, he proved he was not just worthy of being there, but that he had staying power. That established, the Nuggets juggled his days with them and the G-League in accordance with rules governing two-way contracts until he was free to be with the big club full-time after the end of the G-League regular season.

With the Nuggets, Craig averaged 4.2 points and 3.3 rebounds, playing an average of 16.1 minutes in 39 games. His value to the Nuggets, however, went far beyond raw numbers. Craig was a player with a dogged defensive mindset that he first displayed for Malone and the rest of the Nuggets coaching staff in last year’s summer league. They knew then they wanted to get him on the roster. This summer, the Nuggets will work on getting him off of a two-way pact and in the fold full-time.

“It’s been a roller coaster of a season with the contract,” Craig said, with a wry grin.

Still, he credited the back-and-forth nature of it all with helping to create a detailed focus.

“Throughout the season, there’s stuff that made me stronger,” Craig said. “It actually made me focus more, and I think it helped make me a stronger player mentally.”

Defense was Craig’s calling card. He was arguably the Nuggets’ best isolation defender. His first major assignment came in his first game with the Nuggets -- to stop New Orleans’ Jrue Holiday in an end-of-game situation that would preserve an important victory over the Pelicans.

Craig went on to be tasked with guarding many other high-profile and high-scoring perimeter players. And in man-on-man defense, he held those players to a miniscule 24 percent from the field and 0.677 points per possession. He improved in guarding spot-up situations as the season wore on, being more disciplined in not straying too far from the shooter in order to get a solid contested shot. Craig, whose length aids his quickness and athleticism, profiles as a defensive stopper in the mold of Houston’s Trevor Ariza. And for a Nuggets team  looking to improve on that end, Craig’s potential to be a real difference maker is intriguing.

Offensively, Craig was asked to space the court and knock down shots when opportunities presented themselves. As such, spot-up shooting (30.3 percent), transition (20 percent), and offensive rebound put backs (16 percent) were Craig’s most-used actions. Basically, everything that relied on movement and activity and being ready when the ball was swung to him. Craig shot 45 percent from the left corner 3-point line.

As his role grows, Craig will improve his ability to break down defenders and get his own shot, as well as continuing to be more consistent at the 3-point line. He was a 29.3 percent 3-point shooter overall in his games with the Nuggets. Over 74 percent of his made field goals were assisted.

Craig’s most common turnovers were errant passes and lost-ball miscues with a few court awareness (i.e.: stepping out of bounds along the sideline when taking 3-pointers) errors mixed in.

In all, Craig’s season was perhaps the most unexpected pleasant surprise on the team.

“He was one of the greatest stories of the season,” Nuggets president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly said. “He came here, took a chance on himself – had some more lucrative offers overseas. …He got rewarded with a two-way contract, and was impactful. I thought his energy on both ends was extremely helpful. ..I think it’s one of the coolest stories we’ve seen this season.”

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2017-18 Nuggets Player Breakdown: Torrey Craig

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2017‑18 Season Review