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Miss Justin Simmons?
The kids on the Grading The Week staff sure do, but the Broncos don’t. Not according to Pro Football Focus, at least.
With the Broncos having already won more games (five) in eight weeks than many in the NFL thought they’d win in 18, the statniks on Team GTW scoured the popular scouting and analytics site, known colloquially as “PFF,” for some clues as to why.
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The Cannabist Network
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BROOKLYN, N.Y. — To get their first win of the season, the Nuggets almost had to sacrifice their second.
Michael Malone knew the risk he was taking. It narrowly paid off Monday night in Toronto with an overtime breakthrough. But the physical strain on his starters was visible 24 hours later as they instantly struggled to defend the perimeter against a team widely projected to be the worst in the NBA.
The Nuggets allowed 40 first-quarter points and fell behind by as many as 17 in the second before they revived themselves again for a 144-139 win over the Nets on Tuesday — again, in overtime.
Nikola Jokic lifted his team with another masterpiece: 29 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists on 9-of-16 shooting. In a deja vu sequence down by three at the end of regulation, the Nuggets opted to go for two points with 33.8 seconds left. Malone called for a Jokic post-up, like Monday, which Jokic easily executed, like Monday. Then, like Monday, the Nuggets’ opponent missed a free throw, allowing them a chance to tie it in the final seconds without needing a three. Again, Denver dialed up a Jokic post-up.
“We are trying to get there to see, are they gonna double?” the center said.
Brooklyn didn’t. The three-time MVP backed his way to an effortless baby hook with nine ticks left.
“They doubled him a lot tonight,” Malone said. “This was more, they waited for him to dribble the ball and then the double came. I’m so happy I get to coach Nikola because I can’t imagine game-planning for guarding that guy.”
The only difference between their back-to-back magic acts: This time, the Nuggets left enough time to give up a wide-open corner three as time expired. Dorian Finney-Smith clanked it.
And again, the starting lineup found itself logging extra hours at the office. Malone had already gone to an eight-man rotation in the second half of the Toronto game.
“Obviously we found ourselves in a game last night that we kind of shortened our rotation up a little bit in the second half, feeling the pressure of trying to get the first win of the season,” he said before opening tip at Barclays Center. “And when you look at the box score after the game, especially going into the second night of a back-to-back in Brooklyn, you have your starters all at or near 40 minutes. And that’s not sustainable. We can’t do that. Game three, it was cool, man. Let’s get our first win, kind of take a deep breath. But that’s not sustainable.”
His foresight was probably more immediate than he hoped. The Nets shot 12 of 24 from beyond the arc in the first half. When they weren’t launching, Denver’s defenders took the bait anyway, allowing drivers to get behind them and playing catch-up on rotations. After another rough bench stint, Brooklyn led 47-30 with 9:42 remaining in the half.
The Nuggets’ collective redemption arrived in the form of a snarling, sharpshooting Russell Westbrook about an hour later. He had already been the best version of himself in the first half, zipping brilliant entry passes to Jokic and bullying his way to the foul line with the second unit (then converting the free throws). But on the last possession of the third quarter, with Denver trailing 99-93, he stepped into just his second 3-point make of the season. On the first possession of the fourth, he drove and kicked to Peyton Watson for a corner three. Tie game.
His next pull-up 3-point attempt, ill-advised or not, gave him 22 points on 12 shots and capped a 13-2 run. It was 106-101, Denver.
Russ giveth and Russ taketh. He shanked an uncontested dunk with his left hand during a quick 5-0 answer from Brooklyn, setting the stage for Denver’s second consecutive suspenseful finish.
“It’s hard to win in this league,” the backup point guard said. “People think it’s easy, man. It’s hard. Especially when you’re a team that’s won year after year and always been in the running for NBA championships. It’s hard. We’ll get everybody’s best shot. We’ve gotta be prepared for it. However we’ve gotta get wins right now, we’ll take them.”
Michael Porter Jr. bounced back from his inefficient first week of the season, shooting 4 for 7 from 3-point range. Jamal Murray added 24 points. Aaron Gordon contributed 22. Denver quickly pulled away in the extra period after Jokic scored or assisted on its first six points.
“I’m glad we had the momentum going in, and I think we controlled the overtime, so that is a good thing,” Jokic said. “We found baskets when we needed it.”
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Bennett Durando
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The Nuggets have a new court for their in-season tournament home games this year, and it’s a bit more modest.
Unlike the predominantly royal blue court that was rolled out at Ball Arena for the inaugural tournament in 2023, Denver’s floor will be yellow in the second edition of the event, now called the Emirates NBA Cup. It’s one of four courts around the league that will be painted yellow or gold, a somewhat more natural hue for hardwood.
The @nuggets new court for the #EmiratesNBACup pic.twitter.com/pzZwJBuQS3
— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2024
The baselines and sidelines surrounding the Nuggets’ court will be painted a dark shade of red. The words “MILE HIGH CITY” will be superimposed across the court in a faded yellow, while the tournament’s trophy will be featured at center-court and from the foul lines to each basket, like last year.
The Nuggets host the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 22 and the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 3 in their two home games during the group stage of the NBA Cup. Their road games within the group are at New Orleans (Nov. 15) and Memphis (Nov. 19). Eight teams will advance from six groups to the knockout stage.
Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.
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Bennett Durando
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The Nuggets remain winless in preseason play with one game remaining after a 124-94 blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at Ball Arena. The last chance to earn a win is Thursday in Minnesota.
Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook were out this time for the Nuggets, leaving them with a cast of role players to fend off Oklahoma City’s full starting lineup — an inverse of Sunday’s game, when Denver ran the starters for three quarters against Phoenix’s bench.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone said he had planned to rest Murray for this game even before his knee started bothering him Sunday while warming up.
Denver’s clear standout performers this preseason (other than the three-time MVP) have been Michael Porter Jr. and Julian Strawther, both of whom continued to carry the offense during the first-half minutes Tuesday. Strawther made his first five shots, including 3-pointers in rhythm, a driving floater and a couple of buckets in the lane, where he used his footwork or body to go up strong through traffic. He finished with 12 points.
Most importantly in these four games, he is 8 for 18 from distance, where his teammates have struggled. Christian Braun, who’s expected to start at shooting guard over Strawther, is 1 for 13. That probably won’t change how the rotation will shake out, though.
“Obviously it’s never going to be just about who’s playing better in a vacuum,” Malone said when asked about the position battle. “It’s always going to be about, yes, who’s playing well, but also who complements that unit. And right now to be honest, I think C.B. and Jamal and Michael and Aaron (Gordon) and Nikola, that’s a group that really complements each other well. I think (Russell Westbrook), when we get Peyton Watson back — and that’s been really hard for us, not to have Peyton — but I think Russ, Julian, Peyton, Dario (Saric) and whoever else, I think that’s a really good complementary group as well. But I will give Julian some more chances to get out there and start and play with that (starting) group.”
Watson (hamstring) still hasn’t played this preseason, but Malone says the plan is to have him ready for the season opener next Thursday at Ball Arena.
As frustrated as Malone was with his team’s collective performance against the Suns on Sunday, he pointed to Zeke Nnaji’s fourth-quarter minutes as one of the few positives.
Nnaji earned a starting nod Tuesday and built on his productive outing with 11 points, three rebounds, two steals and three blocks, including one against Jalen Williams in space. There were occasional lapses, too — a ball-screen miscommunication leading to an easy dunk in the first half, a ball fake getting him to leave his feet for a blow-by in the second half — but the highlights should be a welcomed confidence boost. Nnaji’s form has looked smoother, too. He buried a couple of 3s Tuesday.
Before opening tip, Malone gave a candid answer when asked if he believes Nnaji is better at the four or the five, speaking to the general skill set the coach wants to see from Nnaji.
“I don’t get into all that. I think that’s a bunch of malarkey,” Malone said. “‘Are you a four or are you a five?’ In today’s NBA, you’re a big, you’re a small. … This is not 1980s where it’s three-out, two-in. Zeke’s a big. So go out there and play your game. I mean, is Dario Saric a center in anybody’s eyes? Well, he is for us. So yeah, the whole four (or) five thing, I just don’t really understand.”
Without Murray and Westbrook, this exhibition offered a glimpse of other ways the Nuggets can initiate offense. They used a variety of players to bring the ball up, from Aaron Gordon to Strawther to Braun. And notably, in Malone’s nine-man rotation during the early stages of the game, two-way player Trey Alexander made an appearance over Jalen Pickett, who checked in during the third quarter and played most of the second half.
If there’s anything definitive from Denver’s 0-4 preseason start, it’s that the end of the bench just doesn’t have much to work with. Malone has turned red in the face during the second halves of every game so far. The Nuggets held up pretty well against a mismatch in the first half without Jokic — it was after halftime that they fell apart again.
Want more Nuggets news? Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis.
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Bennett Durando
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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — This isn’t just Jamal Murray casting aside questions about his health and downplaying his recent injuries.
In fact, as if he had a definitive display of athleticism for the media planned to perfection, he pounced at the rim Friday for a contested slam dunk — moments after the doors had been opened allowing a throng of reporters to watch the last 30 minutes of Denver’s practice.
Point taken.
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These Eggless Homemade Chicken Nuggets are crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and super kid-friendly. They’re a healthier, tastier version of those frozen chicken nuggets we all grew up with. Plus, it’s completely egg-free, which is perfect if you’re managing food allergies. You can make a big batch, freeze them, and have homemade nuggets ready anytime you need them. It’s a total win for busy days! You’ll feel great knowing exactly what’s going into your food—no weird additives, just real chicken and simple ingredients.
Okay, let’s be real for a second—who doesn’t love chicken nuggets? In my house, they’re basically a food group. But with all the store-bought options full of who-knows-what, I wanted to come up with a version that’s not only healthier but also something I feel good about feeding my kids. These eggless homemade chicken nuggets are the answer!
If you’ve got little ones dealing with food allergies like mine, you know how important it is to keep things simple and safe. No eggs here, but trust me—the breading stays perfectly crispy and intact. That’s a win! Plus, these nuggets are super picky-kid-approved, so I know they’ll disappear fast, no matter how fussy the eater.
I love how easy it is to make a big batch and freeze some for later. They come out crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and they’re SO much better than the store-bought stuff. And knowing they’re made with real chicken and no weird additives? Total mom win!
If you like this recipe, you should try my Easy Homemade Eggless Fish Sticks (Baked) soon!
Let’s face it—grabbing a bag of chicken nuggets from the store is convenient. But have you ever thought about making your own at home? Trust me, it’s easier than you think and comes with some pretty sweet perks!
1. You Control the Ingredients
When you make your own nuggets, you know exactly what’s going in them. No weird preservatives or mystery ingredients—just real chicken, your favorite seasonings, and a crispy coating you can be proud of.
2. Healthier, Fresher, Better
Store-bought nuggets are often loaded with extra salt, fat, and artificial stuff you don’t need. By making them at home, you can use better-for-you ingredients. Whether you prefer gluten-free breadcrumbs or want to cut back on sodium, it’s completely in your hands. Plus, homemade nuggets just taste fresher!
3. Safe for Food Allergies
If you or someone in your family has a food allergy, cross-contamination can be a real concern with store-bought options. By making your own chicken nuggets, you eliminate that worry. You know your kitchen, your tools, and your ingredients are all safe and allergen-free, giving you total peace of mind.
Feel-Good Family Food: Nothing feels better than knowing exactly what you’re feeding your family. These homemade chicken nuggets are made from simple, real ingredients—no preservatives or artificial additives. They’re healthier than what you’d find in the frozen food aisle, and I love that!
Allergy-Friendly: If you’re navigating food allergies, these are a lifesaver. No eggs here, but the breading is still crisp and delicious! I know how tricky it can be to avoid allergens, so this recipe makes me feel secure, knowing what’s going into each bite.
Better Than Store-Bought: These nuggets are miles better than the packaged ones. With juicy, real chicken inside and a crunchy, flavorful coating outside, it’s hard to beat. Plus, there’s no mystery meat here—just wholesome, easy-to-pronounce ingredients!
Picky-Kid-Approved: If you’ve got a kiddo who turns their nose up at everything, give these a try. They’re crispy, juicy, and oh-so-tasty. I have yet to meet a child who doesn’t ask for seconds!
Freezer Friendly: These nuggets freeze beautifully! Just pop a batch in the freezer, and you’ll have homemade chicken nuggets on hand whenever hunger strikes. They reheat like a dream, staying crispy and delicious.
Extra Effort: While these nuggets are awesome, they do require a bit more effort than grabbing a bag from the store. You’ll need to prep and cook the chicken, which can take a little time.
Time-Saving: Since making these takes a bit more effort, freezing extra batches means you only do the work once, and you’ll have ready-to-cook nuggets for future meals. You can just grab them from the freezer and bake or air-fry when you need a quick, homemade snack or meal. Remember to spritz olive oil or avocado oil spray before baking, which helps everything crisp up perfectly! I promise you that they are worth the extra effort!
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Please check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions (scroll down).
Place the chicken in the food processor and pulse until the chicken is minced. Next, add the 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and olive oil. Process until combined.
Portion the chicken mixture out using a 1 tablespoon scoop, then shape it into nugget form (a rectangular-ish shape) with your hands. Place them on a baking tray or large plate lined with parchment paper. From a pound of chicken, you’ll get about 16 chicken nuggets, about 30 g each.
Tip: If the mixture is too soft to shape into nuggets, place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up. Also, lightly wet your hands when forming the nuggets to make the process easier.
In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and water. In a second shallow bowl, mix breadcrumbs, panko, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Dip the chicken nuggets in the flour mixture, shake off excess, and then into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to coat each piece evenly and thoroughly on all sides. Press with your hand, shake off excess, and place on a large dish or cutting board. Let the chicken nuggets rest for 10 minutes.
Tip: Once they are breaded, you can freeze them flat for 1 hour, then transfer them to Ziploc bags and store them for up to 3 months. When ready to bake them, bake frozen nuggets as directed next.
Transfer the nuggets to a lined baking sheet. Spray both sides of the chicken generously with oil. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip the nuggets and cook for another 8 – 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165º F.
Gluten-Free: If you’re gluten-free, swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour blend, and use gluten-free breadcrumbs and panko. If you want to avoid dairy, just make sure your breadcrumbs don’t contain any sneaky dairy ingredients.
These nuggets pair perfectly with a side of sweet potato fries, a fresh salad or fruit, or even some homemade mac and cheese. For a fun twist, you could serve them in wraps or on slider buns with a little mayo and lettuce!
Store Leftovers: Allow your nuggets to cool completely. Place your cooled nuggets in an airtight container and store them in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready to eat, reheat refrigerated nuggets in the oven at 350° F (180° C) for about 10-15 minutes to keep them crispy.
Freeze Cooked Chicken Nuggets: To freeze, let the cooked nuggets cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container or zip-top bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, reheat them in the oven or air fryer until crispy and heated through.
Freeze Uncooked Chicken Nuggets: Once they are breaded, you can freeze them flat for 1 hour, then transfer them to Ziploc bags and store them for up to 3 months. When ready to bake them, bake frozen nuggets in the oven at 350° F (180° C) for 20-22 minutes.
Absolutely! Just swap the flour, breadcrumbs, and panko for gluten-free alternatives. Read more details above.
The flour and water mixture acts like glue, helping the breadcrumbs adhere to the chicken. Pressing the breadcrumbs into the chicken also ensures a solid coating.
Yes! You can fry them in a bit of oil on the stovetop for a crispier, more traditional nugget experience.
Simply bake them at 350° F (180° C) for 15 – 18 minutes or pop them in the air fryer for 10 -12 minutes until heated through and crispy.
These Eggless Homemade Chicken Nuggets are crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and super kid-friendly. They’re a healthier, tastier version of those frozen chicken nuggets we all grew up with. Plus, it’s completely egg-free, which is perfect if you’re managing food allergies. You can make a big batch, freeze them, and have homemade nuggets ready anytime you need them. It’s a total win for busy days! You’ll feel great knowing exactly what’s going into your food—no weird additives, just real chicken and simple ingredients.
Don’t forget to check out the step-by-step photos above in the post—they’ll guide you through the process and make everything super clear!
Preheat oven to 400º F (200º C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the chicken in the food processor and pulse until the chicken is minced. Next, add the 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and olive oil. Process until combined.
In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and water.
In a second shallow bowl, mix breadcrubms, panko, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Transfer nuggets to a lined baking sheet. Spray both sides of the chicken generously with oil or melted butter.
Bake for 10 minutes and then flip the nuggest and cook for another 8 – 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165º F (74° C).
Calories: 74kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 368mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 24IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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Nikola Jokic isn’t just the best hoops player on the planet when it comes to dishing out dimes.
The Big Honey might be the best when it comes to dishing out bling, too.
Despite our crack staff being in the writing biz, Team Grading The Week believes actions speak louder than all the words on this page.
And GTW is firmly in the camp of backing up your brags.
Is anybody — certainly not anybody in the basketball sphere — conquering both fronts better than the Joker is, right here and now?
The NBA’s three-time MVP didn’t just help carry the Serbian hoops squad to a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics. According to the Blic newspaper in his native country, Jokic purchased Rolex watches for every one of his teammates on the national team.
The kicker? Those timepieces were reportedly worth $32,500 each. Which puts the Joker’s total purchase at an estimated $357,500 for 11 watches.
Jokic and Serbia won the men’s hoops bronze in Paris thanks to a 93-83 win over Germany in the tourney’s third-place game. The Nuggets star posted a very Jokic stat line, too — 19 points, 12 boards and 11 assists.
The Joker averaged 18.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists for his homeland, which finished 4-2 at the tourney. He led all tournament players in points, boards and dimes — the first Olympian to ever top all three categories in one campaign.
Apparently, nobody gives like Jokic gives when it comes to the gift department, either. At least the fantastic gesture was one the Joker could afford: The Nuggets center, per Spotrac.com, is slated to take up $51.4 million in cap space in ’24-’25, and $55.2 million in ’25-’26.
If you’re like the GTW staff, you don’t just want Jokic as your franchise centerpiece now. You kind of want him as your secret Santa, too.
Russell Wilson’s Steelers stats after preseason Week 2: One appearance, five drives led, zero points, three sacks taken.
Bo Nix’s Broncos stats after preseason Week 2: Two appearances, seven drives led, 30 points, zero sacks taken.
It’s early, and we’ll know in a month whether Sean Payton won the Broncos-Steelers game, head-to-head. But the coach is off to a flying start in terms of winning the argument. And in justifying one hellaciously expensive football divorce.
Love ’em or hate ’em, this past Friday was a pretty good day to be an Eagle.
Earlier in the day, Valor alum and PGA star Wyndham Clark pulled himself back into the BMW Championship title picture by shooting a 68 during his second round at Castle Pines — including five birdies. Later that evening, his alma mater’s football team opened its season with a 31-14 victory over Pine Creek. The latter had beaten Valor in last September’s meeting, 31-17.
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Sean Keeler
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CASTLE ROCK — Twenty years before they rekindled a friendship in Europe, the Euro step was a controversial subject between rivals Wyndham Clark and Derrick White.
They played for opposing youth basketball teams in the Denver area, first matching up around the third grade. Both were point guards. White guarded Clark. Clark guarded White. White was a little more advanced than his peers — little did they know, he was a future NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist — and at some point during the mid-2000s, he implemented an unfamiliar move to his game. It was just beginning to get popular in the pros.
“He was doing the Euro step at a young age,” Clark remembers, “and our whole team kept thinking it was traveling. So every time he would do the Euro step, all our dads and everyone was like, ‘That’s a travel!’ And they would never call it.
“Fast forward to next year, and we’re all doing the same thing.”
White was teaching Clark new tricks on the basketball court. Now it’s finally Clark’s turn to return the favor on the golf course. He’s the fifth-ranked golfer in the world, the winner of the 2023 U.S. Open and the fan favorite this weekend at the BMW Championship. Valor Christian High School, Class of 2012. White is a two-time All-Defensive Team honoree in the NBA, a glue guy for the Boston Celtics and Team USA, and a Clark groupie this weekend. Legend High School, Class of ’12.
White has never played golf or gotten invested in the sport, “but I’m gonna start,” he declared while walking the first fairway at Castle Pines Golf Club on Thursday. He walked all 18 holes in support of his former basketball foe, who was paired with Rory McIlroy.
“It’s fun because he’s kind of new to golf, and so (he) got his real first experience of pro golf at the Olympics, watching and walking with us,” Clark said. “And he really has the bug. We’ve been talking about it. He’s like, ‘I love it so much.’ It was really cool to have him out there.”
Clark finished his first round at even par, but that doesn’t even begin to tell the story. He endured a hectic back nine that included multiple shots into the water and multiple double-bogeys. And that was before a cartoonishly timed lightning delay forced him and McIlroy to wait more than three hours to complete their final putts on the 18th hole. Spectators (even White) had vacated the premises by the time they resumed.
“I was hoping it was going to be one of those quick Colorado 30-minute storms, but there was another one behind it,” Clark lamented. “Definitely a bummer being here for three hours.”
Before that awkward conclusion without a crowd, Clark had been treated to resounding applause throughout the afternoon. Coloradans who noticed White gave him some love, too. He was hard to miss during the first hole, cradling the Larry O’Brien Trophy as he strolled downhill. Whether it was Boston’s Larry or Denver’s from the previous year, though, is unclear. The trophy was also on display Wednesday during the pro-am event, which featured Nuggets president Josh Kroenke.
“I didn’t even know it was gonna be here,” a confused White said, starting to regret his decision to lug Larry along. “I’m really just here to support Wyndham and cheer him on. … I didn’t know it was gonna be here. I was walking in, and I see it on the ground, and I’m like, ‘Let me hold that.’”
His opportunity to reacquaint with Clark this summer was truly last-second. Kawhi Leonard’s withdrawal from Team USA opened a roster spot two weeks before the Paris Olympics. White was the first choice to fill in. He flew solo to Abu Dhabi, UAE, to join the team for its remaining exhibition games, and soon enough he was floating down the Seine with Clark at the opening ceremony.
“(We had) big battles. Big rivalry on the court,” White said. “And then obviously he went and did big things, so it was great reconnecting. And we ended up on the boat in the Olympics.”
“Hanging out in Paris was pretty cool,” Clark said, grinning.
They reminisced. Decades-old matchups on hardwood aged into shared laughs. Their youth teams always seemed to face off in the championship game. “Wyndham was good,” White says, but he insists that his squad, the Dolphins, won more. Clark even played some high school ball at Valor, where he was classmates with NFL star Christian McCaffrey.
“It’s really neat to see kind of Colorado sports coming on the map with Derrick, myself and Christian and some of the other Olympians,” Clark said earlier this week. “It’s a good thing for Colorado. I feel like the sports are in a good spot here.”
When the horn blared indicating a weather stoppage, McIlroy was frozen mid-backswing on the 18th green. (“I knew it was close, and I kind of wanted Rory to speed up,” the local weather expert Clark said later, laughing.) Patrons vacated the course for a nearby covered area outside the clubhouse, where White held court. Colorado golf fans approached him for photographs and autographs. He posed and signed graciously for about 20 minutes. Then a golf cart arrived and he shipped off, leaving his old rival to wait out the storm.
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Bennett Durando
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Now that the first weekend of NBA Summer League is over, games throughout this week will probably feature less and less of the key rotation-caliber players.
That certainly applies to the Nuggets. Standout guard Julian Strawther was in street clothes Tuesday at Denver’s 80-66 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, and he’ll likely be done for the duration of the team’s stay in Las Vegas.
Here are three takeaways from the loss as the Nuggets fell to 0-3 at Summer League 2024.
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His basketball card belongs in the Louvre, posted up between the Mona Lisa and “The Wedding Feast at Cana.”
You could hang Chauncey Billups’ resume in the Salle des Etats, elbows jostling with “La Bella Nani,” a work of hoops art on par with “Titian’s Man with a Glove.”
But Paris?
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If DaRon Holmes calls you a legend, don’t be too flattered.
It’s nothing personal. It’s just Holmes’ all-encompassing expression, his hello and goodbye. It started in high school. By the end of college, it was practically a comprehensive attitude on life.
“Every time he saw you, every time you did something, it’s: ‘You’re a legend. You’re a legend. You’re a legend,’” Dayton basketball assistant coach Ricardo Greer said, laughing. “Eventually I was like, that’s the last ‘legend’ you’re gonna call me.”
“All my friends, we call each other kings and legends,” Holmes explained. “… So I always say to everybody, ‘You’re a legend.’ And the first time I say it, people are just happy, like, ‘Thank you, man!’ And then after a couple of times they’re like, ‘You call everybody this.’”
Denver’s newest rookie wields a friendly disposition to go with his versatile basketball skillset — characteristics that won over the Nuggets in equal measure this spring during the pre-draft process. They traded up six places in the first round Wednesday to select Holmes 22nd overall, their latest bet on non-lottery youth as a viable asset capable of contributing to championships.
Holmes is a player whose shape-shifting ability could position him to play right away. At 6-foot-9 without shoes, he occupies the awkward space between a power forward and small-ball center. Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth outlined a future this week in which Holmes can eventually start as a four. It’s certainly easy to envision him defensively in lineups next to Nikola Jokic, who plays higher up the floor against ball screens than most centers. Holmes was an elite college rim protector and help defender who could rotate across the paint to anchor Denver behind the less vertically gifted Jokic.
For now, he seems just as well suited to space the floor as a center, which could help provide Denver’s second unit a fresh look. Dayton played a lot of five-out last season with Holmes, even entrusting him to bring the ball up and start the offense.
“I definitely see (playing the four) in the future, especially the way the game is now,” Holmes said. “You look at the Grizzlies. They just got Zach Edey. They’re probably gonna play him and JJ (Jaren Jackson Jr.) together. I think that’s perfectly fine for me. Small-ball five will be good at times. I don’t think that will be an all-time thing for me. I’m probably not gonna start at the five if I’m gonna be a starter (someday).”
Holmes grew up mostly in the Phoenix area. His mom coached him in YMCA hoops, but he didn’t instantly gravitate toward basketball as a dream career. He enjoyed playing soccer as well.
Above all, Holmes’ goal was to travel the world. Then he started to develop basketball talent, and as he put it, “I found out, hey, I can make money playing this thing. After I found that out, I was like, ‘I’ve gotta train as hard as I can.’”
Holmes transferred twice in high school, going from Arizona to Florida and back, before becoming the highest-ranked high school recruit to ever sign with the Flyers.
His full potential as a pro prospect was unlocked last season, when he started making 3s. In his first two years at Dayton, Holmes was 27% beyond the arc. As a junior, he catapulted to 38.6% with a wide-base form that Booth compared to Al Horford’s.
Behind that improvement was a commitment to training that Denver loves to see in its draft targets.
“We did the same drill every night. And this was the first year I can truly say I was in the gym, dang near every day, and just getting up a lot of shots,” Holmes said. “I also was asking my coaches about just the little details I can fix on my shot.”
His standard regimen took anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes, usually after practice or otherwise the night before a game. It started with 10 shots from each of the five spots around the perimeter. Then a star drill. Then the same pair of exercises, repeated at the other end (but first, free throws in between). Then another drill in which he gradually slid his feet along the perimeter between every attempt, covering every inch of the arc until he hit 50 shots going corner to corner.
Then back the way he came. Another 50.
Then more free throws.
Then shots out of specific sets, like pick-and-pop 3s at game speed.
“My freshman and sophomore year, mainly the bigs would be in drop (coverage),” Holmes recalled. “I didn’t really even notice, because my mind was just: ‘Catch. Swing. What am I supposed to do next?’ … I was just trying to make sure I was doing everything right — which is good. You need to do a lot of things right. And then we looked at the film.”
Holmes remembers head coach Anthony Grant bringing him into his office, along with Greer, to show him how an improved shot could change the dimensions of Dayton’s offense. “I literally need to see how it can impact winning if I can bring that to the table,” Holmes said. “So they showed me how, if I’m able to knock down that shot, it will make the big come out. And if the big comes out, you have so many other options.”
With increased time in the gym came elevated confidence. That was the story of Holmes’ shooting evolution, but also of his entire development throughout college, from Greer’s perspective.
“The first year, I don’t think I heard him curse one time,” Greer said. “He would get mad, and he’ll go ‘Darn it’ or ‘Yeesh.’”
He was afraid of imperfection at first. Dayton allowed him to play through mistakes and mismatches, and he slowly learned to get over it.
The growing pains are the pivotal moments that resonate with Holmes now. Early in his freshman season, Lipscomb’s 275-pound center went for 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocks against him. Dayton lost by 19. A week later, he was the primary matchup against Belmont senior Nick Muszynski (245 pounds). Dayton escaped with a two-point win, but Holmes got demolished inside again.
“He was moving people with his arms,” Holmes said. “I will never forget, he had a play where he caught it on the right block, and I was trying to front him. And one of my teammates came to help me, and he literally had this arm right here and moved both of us. Hit a hook shot.
“This is when I’m a freshman, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know if I’m built for this.’ But all those moments really truly helped me out. Because I would go back and watch the film and see, ‘Hey, this is how you do handle those situations.’”
He learned to trust his IQ and talent eventually. Greer started to notice him swearing more — and calling people “legend” more — signs that Holmes was growing more comfortable in his own skin.
His rookie season in the NBA might resemble a reset of freshman year, but Holmes wanted the opportunity to experience that in Denver, where he can observe “one of the best big men of all time.” He knew the Nuggets were especially interested in him during the pre-draft process, though he says he wasn’t sure if that interest was to the extent of a full promise.
“I’m here to have fun. I’m here to win. I’m here to get better,” Holmes said. “And if (people) do see me (in Denver), don’t be afraid to come up to me and say what’s up. I’m very cool, chill. I’m not the type of athlete that’s like, ‘Oh, I can’t talk to you.’ That doesn’t apply to me. My family raised me a way to be respectful to everybody.”
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Bennett Durando
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In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene a day before the NBA Finals with plenty to talk about. Among the topics discussed:
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Producer: AAron Ontiveroz
Music: “The Last Dragons” by Schama Noel
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Matt Schubert, Bennett Durando, AAron Ontiveroz
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As a longer-than-expected offseason tips off for the Denver Nuggets, team officials want to be sure they separate from what coach Michael Malone calls “the emotional reaction to losing” before any major decisions are made.
“I think you always want to take time to let everything sink in and go back and take a quality look at everything that happened during the season,” general manager Calvin Booth said, “and then make decisions from that point.”
As those reflections begin, Booth, Malone and team president Josh Kroenke addressed several topics during a 34-minute news conference Thursday. Chief among them: Do the Nuggets need to find a way to upgrade their roster?
It was telling that Booth focused heavily on advancing the development of Denver’s youngest players.
“I think (the 2023 draft picks) need more seasoning,” he said. “They need to get in the gym. They need to play Summer League. They need to get stronger. Obviously, maybe in our top seven, we can use a little bit more talent. Maybe there’s a way to upgrade one or two positions. … Get a guy that’s a more accomplished NBA player for whatever (roster) slot they’re taking. But I don’t see anything that’s, like, crazy out of sorts for our roster.”
All indications from the extensive availability were that Denver isn’t rushing to make drastic changes to its roster. Booth doubled down on his previously stated team-building philosophy, which involves continuity achieved through drafting and developing to fill out the fringes of an expensive championship roster. He acknowledged the need to address the bench this offseason, potentially even with outside acquisitions, but it’s clear the Nuggets would prefer to rely on home-grown depth.
That Kroenke later expressed faith in the starting lineup — despite its poor showing against Minnesota — was among multiple signs that Denver isn’t rushing to shop Michael Porter Jr. as a trade piece this summer. Malone also rebutted Porter’s own comments taking blame for the early exit.
“We think we still have the best starting five in basketball, even though we fell just short this year,” Kroenke said. “Could have gone either way up until the last few minutes. So we don’t think we’re far off.”
Here’s a look at some of the other topics addressed Thursday:
Booth said: “We spend a lot of time looking at the second apron and all this other stuff. I think for me personally, it’s win a championship, one. Two, we have to look at the overall financial picture. And three, second apron. And I know the second apron is daunting, and there’s all kinds of restrictions, but I don’t think that’s first on our priority list. KCP’s been a great addition the last couple years. We obviously would love to have him back. We’re gonna take a hard look at what that looks like.”
Analysis: Denver’s roster payroll already exceeds the luxury tax line and the first tax apron, resulting in a list of penalties imposed by the new collective bargaining agreement. If Kentavious Caldwell-Pope exercises his $15.4 million player or if the Nuggets re-sign him in free agency, they’ll trigger the second apron next season — meaning even more penalties. But Booth’s comment Thursday indicated that won’t be what stops Denver from retaining Caldwell-Pope.
Kroenke also said that while he’s cognizant of the long-term consequences of existence in the second apron, he’s comfortable going there to make the most of a Nikola Jokic-led roster.
Booth said: “We’ve talked about this a lot upstairs. The general manager, front office job oftentimes is to make sure the long-term view is something that we’re satisfied with. And Coach Malone’s down there in the trenches trying to win every night. And a lot of times, those things are aligned, but sometimes they ebb and flow away from each other.”
Malone said: “I’m thinking how do we win the next game? That’s my job. And Calvin as a GM is thinking about how do we win the next couple of years? That’s his job. And Josh is overseeing all that and understanding how to piece all that together.”
Analysis: When Booth and Malone made these comments, they were answering separate questions about different topics. So this has clearly been a theme within the organization in the days following the Nuggets’ second-round exit.
The franchise needs its general manager and head coach to be on the same page in order to maximize all 15 roster spots during the regular season. Most of what that boils down to is Booth’s aforementioned dependence on drafting and developing against Malone’s reluctance to trust young players with extended minutes. (That’s not a tendency that’s exclusive to one NBA head coach.)
Booth said: “We’ll get a great chance to evaluate Vlatko (Cancar) this summer. … If (Slovenia is) able to get out of those qualifiers in Athens, he’ll be available to play in the Olympics, and I believe he’ll be playing in those qualifiers. … Zeke (Nnaji) is a young player. He brings energy to the game. He gives effort every night. He’s trying to grow into both sides of the ball. I think originally we drafted him to be a four. He’s ended up playing a lot of five. I don’t think it matters as much off the bench, but there are certain matchups where it becomes a little bit more problematic. But he has to get better. He has to be ready for his opportunities when they come. I think he’s gonna have a good NBA career.”
Analysis: Cancar missed the entire 2023-24 season after tearing his left ACL during a national team game last summer. His contract has a $2.3 million team option this offseason. The Nuggets need affordable salaries like his, but it would be difficult to justify holding onto him if his health continued to be an issue. If he’s able to make his return in international competition (and maybe even play against Jokic or Jamal Murray in France), it’ll be a huge boost.
As for Nnaji, his four-year, $32 million contract signed last October has aged controversially due to his lack of playing time. Booth seems to prefer Nnaji as a backup four instead of a backup center to Jokic, but if that’s the case, it still leaves a roster hole at the five. (Especially if DeAndre Jordan doesn’t return.) Nnaji’s contract is tradable until it isn’t. If the Nuggets become a second-apron team, they won’t be able to aggregate salaries such as his to get back a larger AAV.
Booth said: “He obviously has the intangibles and the physical strength and athleticism and defense (to be a starter). And he’s gonna have to make some improvements, as he has, shooting the ball. But I don’t know how you could see a player in his second year that’s done what he’s done and not think he has a chance of starting. He’s ahead of schedule in that regard.”
Malone: “I think Christian Braun, it’s all gonna come down to one thing. To be a shooting guard in the NBA, you’ve gotta be able to make shots. That’s the bottom line. So if you want to simplify CB’s future as a starting two-guard in the NBA, it’ll be determined upon his ability to be a 38% or above 3-point shooter.”
Analysis: If Caldwell-Pope moves on in free agency, this is the leading applicant for Denver’s fifth-starter opening. The No. 21 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Braun was in Malone’s closing lineup for much of the Minnesota series due to his defensive prowess against Anthony Edwards. That’s an impressive notch in the 23-year-old’s arrow, on top of playing rotation minutes in the NBA Finals as a rookie.
In an ideal world, Braun would come off the bench again next season, improving Denver’s 2024-25 depth and giving him one more year to develop before making that jump to a starting role. But to Malone’s point, here’s the good news: Braun already shot 38.4% from 3-point range this season.
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Bennett Durando
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Michael Malone didn’t just shorten his bench. He strangled it.
Christian Braun played a valiant 20 minutes in that scarring, jarring Game 7, much of it spent badgering the heck outta Anthony Edwards. After that, though, the alms dwindled. Justin Holiday got nine minutes for the Nuggets; Reggie Jackson, five.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, received 22 minutes and 11 points from Naz Reid, a stretch-4-type post who gave Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic more real estate to defend. Nickeil Alexander-Walker played 17 minutes.
Hindsight makes geniuses of us all, granted. But while Jokic huffed and Gordon puffed Sunday, Peyton Watson became more noticeable — by his absence. As Minnesota chipped away at a 20-point Nuggs lead, one of the best defenders on the roster was nowhere to be found.
Now in a do-or-die, win-or-else Game 7, you could understand Malone’s reluctance to trust his second-year wing in a pinch. P-Swat was 0-for-7 from the floor in this series going into Sunday night. The Nuggets lined up the chess pieces as if they could afford only one true defense-first option down the stretch — and again, Braun brought plenty of juice.
Malone said before Game 5 that this was about matchups, and that Minnesota’s defense demands shooters at every spot. That’s not in P-Swat’s arsenal right now, and Holiday brought flashes of brilliance, on the road, when Denver needed it most.
Mind you, Watson also posted a plus-15.9 net rating over 23 minutes against the Wolves in a seeding showdown at Ball Arena last month, blocking six shots and grabbing four boards.
Because as the eulogies are read and ballads sung and postmortems written about where a repeat run at an NBA title went sadly off the rails, P-Swat feels like something of a nexus point. Not just for what happened. But for where the Nuggets go from here. And how.
Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth raised eyebrows this past October when he told The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor that he “want(s) dudes that we try to develop, and it’s sustainable. If it costs us the chance to win a championship (in 2024), so be it. It’s worth the investment. It’s more about winning three out of six, three out of seven, four out of eight than it is about trying to go back-to-back.”
Booth walked back those comments (among others) later, but it sure did very neatly explain an off-season of attrition — no more Bruce Brown or Jeff Green, thanks CBA — that came on the heels of the first title in franchise history. If ’22-23 was the masterpiece, then ’23-24 would be the experiment. Namely, can we replace Brown and Green with kids and still reach the NBA Finals?
Well, no. Heck, no. Not this year, at any rate.
Booth’s stated masterplan was also curious given that Malone, a stickler for eternal verities such as defense and selflessness, suffers neither fools nor rookies gladly. If Malone doesn’t trust you, you don’t play. Period. The Minnesota series, which started with the Nuggets dropping Games 1 and 2 at home, threw development out a 35-story window.
I’m not suggesting Malone and Booth aren’t on the same page here, although it’s fair to wonder. However, I would humbly advise the powers that be to pick a lane and stick with it going forward. For the window’s sake. For Joker’s sake.
The MVP needs help. Now. Jokic, owner of the greatest hands in modern NBA annals, snatched 15 boards in the first half. He finished with 19. Following one misfire in the third quarter, what looked like four Minnesota bodies went up for the carom while No. 15 was stranded at the top of the arc. The Joker seemed positively crestfallen.
Since April 1 through Game 7, the Big Honey logged 732 minutes in 19 games, or 38.5 per game. From April 1 through the end of the Suns series last spring, he’d played 467 minutes in 13 appearances (35.9 per tilt).
The Nuggs danced with history last week. And landed on the wrong side of it, face-first. Malone’s had better days. He’ll have better ones in the future. But Game 7’s epic collapse felt an awful lot like coaching not to lose. Which, more often than not, gets you beat on this stage.
The Wolves, meanwhile, were built by Tim Connelly to dethrone the dynasty he’d started in Denver. See KAT? See Ant, waving and mugging for the cameras? They’re the bar now.
It’s on Booth and Malone to volley Connelly’s serve. Together. Because the Joker has a ton of MVP seasons left in him. But only so many springs of what-ifs. And only so many summers of doubt.
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Sean Keeler
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It’ll be an NBA Game 7 doubleheader to finish the weekend.
The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves will meet for their winner-take-all series finale Sunday at 6 p.m. MT, the league announced Friday night. The game at Ball Arena in downtown Denver will be broadcast on TNT and available for streaming on Max.
The start time was dependent on the result of Game 6 between the Knicks and Pacers. If the Knicks had finished off the Eastern Conference semifinal series Friday with a 3-2 lead, Denver and Minnesota would have been in the afternoon TV slot Sunday. Instead, Knicks vs. Pacers at Madison Square Garden takes that space, pushing the Western Conference clash to the evening.
This will be the Nuggets’ first elimination game in more than two calendar years and their first Game 7 since the bubble in 2020. Denver took a one-game lead over Minnesota for second place in the West on the last day of the regular season to earn home-court advantage for this series, including its grand conclusion. The winner will advance to the Western Conference Finals to face either Dallas or Oklahoma City.
The visiting team won the first four games of the series, with Denver erasing a 2-0 deficit. Since then, the Nuggets and Timberwolves have traded home wins. Minnesota staved off elimination Thursday at Target Center with a 115-70 blowout that holds the distinction of being the Nuggets’ worst playoff loss in franchise history by point margin.
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Bennett Durando
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Fans walk through the team logo illuminating the floor of Ball Arena before the Denver Nuggets host the Phoenix Suns in the first half of Game 4 of an NBA second-round playoff series Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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The two greatest words in sports will ring throughout the Mile High on Sunday: Game Seven.
The defending champions Denver Nuggets will host the Minnesota Timberwolves for a Game 7 dance to decide who gets to play in this year’s Western Conference Finals.
Denver has historically reached the conference finals five times in its history, most recently in 2020 and 2023. If Minnesota pulls off the upset, this will be their first conference finals appearance in 20 years.
Games 1 to 6 have featured pesty defensive efforts, mind-boggling offensive outings by 3-time MVP center Nikola Jokic and breakout performances for rising star Anthony Edwards.
Despite the road team winning each of the first four games, both Denver and Minnesota managed to defend their home courts in Games 5 and 6.
Tip-off at Ball Arena depends on the outcome of Friday night’s Indiana Paces and New York Knicks game.
If the Pacers force a Game 7 in their series, the Timberwolves and Nuggets game will tip off at 6 p.m. and TNT would broadcast.
If the Knicks win Game 6 to clinch their series, Denver’s Game 7 will tip off at 1:30 p.m. and ABC would broadcast.
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MINNEAPOLIS — Nuggets coach Michael Malone was involved in a heated interaction with at least one Timberwolves fan near the visiting bench during an NBA playoff game Friday night.
Two fans at Target Center were escorted away from the sideline by security during the fourth quarter of Game 3 between the Nuggets and Timberwolves, but Malone said he didn’t ask for anyone to be removed from the arena.
“He didn’t like my haircut, and I told him that I like my haircut,” Malone joked. “And we just kind of went from there.”
The Nuggets were on their way to a 117-90 blowout when the incident occurred, involving other team support staff members as well as Malone.
The ninth-year Nuggets coach emphasized that the moment wasn’t a reflection of Minnesota’s home crowd in general.
“That happens at times in a hostile environment, and people get a little liquid courage I guess sometimes,” he said. “And they think they can just say whatever they want to anybody. And I’m not allowing that to happen.”
Tensions have been high between both fanbases and the officiating crews so far in the best-of-seven series, which Minnesota leads 2-1. Frustrations during Game 2 at Ball Arena resulted in Jamal Murray throwing multiple objects in the direction of an official. The lack of suspension for Murray resulted in Minnesota’s crowd booing him throughout Game 3.
“Listen man, these fans here are great,” Malone said. “I mean, that was an amazing atmosphere. You live for moments like that and opportunities like that, to go out there and perform when you’ve got 20,000 people screaming at you. But unfortunately there’s always gonna be people that want to get a little bit more involved in the game, and make it personal. And that’s unfortunate.”
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Bennett Durando
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DALLAS — Jamie Benn needs to “feel” you, as Nuggets coach Michael Malone likes to say. Right between the ears.
If the NHL won’t send a message to Benn, the Dallas Stars’ goon in green, then the Avalanche must. Starting with Game 3 Saturday night at Ball Arena.
Legal hit? More like calculated assault. At worst, the Dallas captain should’ve seen five minutes in the sin bin for his cheap shot of Avs defender Devon Toews some 2:43 into the second period of Game 2.
Benn launched. He left his feet. Toews’ head snapped like a crash test dummy. Officials declared it a shoulder-on-shoulder crime and suggested we all move on. To paraphrase my best pal Deion Sanders, that’s some bull junk, right there.
For one, even if the Stars winger was aiming for Toews’ shoulder, at least one angle showed him connecting directly with No. 7’s neck. Which, last I checked, is connected to and immediately south of the head.
“I mean, does he catch a piece of his shoulder? Yeah, I guess you could argue that,” Avs coach Jared Bednar, whose team returns to Denver after a road split at American Airlines Center, replied when I asked about the collision. “But the target is high and it’s at his head, and he makes contact with the head. And I’ve seen, many times, guys get called for the head shot and penalty with a lot less than that. But I guess they didn’t think so.”
Two, Benn knew exactly what he was doing. The Stars knew what he was doing. Dallas coach Pete DeBoer, whose Vegas teams delighted in pushing the Avs around in the postseason, knew darn well.
“Benner has been outstanding in this playoff. I thought against Vegas he did and he did (it) smart,” the Stars boss said late Thursday night. “He did it at the right times and he did it clean. But his presence physically is having an impact for us in these playoffs in a real positive way.’’
Kareem Jackson, my man, you chose the wrong sport. DeBoer woulda loved you.
In the NFL, Benn’s shot is an ejection, a fine, a suspension and a chat with the safety cops.
In the NHL, it’s a “real positive” presence, a strategic wrinkle in a no-holds-barred, merciless bracket.
The refs decided the hit was at Toews’ shoulder blade and not a head shot. Some slo-mo angles showed otherwise, especially as the D-man pinged off another Dallas player like a rag dol. By the letter of the law, it looked (makes air quotes) “clean.”
But barely legal is still barely.
“It is what it is,” Bednar said. “You’ve got to play through it.”
You’ve got to respond. After that hit, Gabe Landeskog would’ve found a convenient, strategic moment in the action to kindly re-arrange Benn’s face.
Once a bully knows they can get away with murder in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, there’s only way to stop a killing spree.
Someone’s gotta pick up the Captain’s spine. Someone’s gotta let Benn know that this won’t stand. And neither will he.
Someone’s gotta pick up Landy’s steel. Landy’s soul.
It’s not in Nathan MacKinnon’s game, bless him. It’s not in Cale Makar’s DNA, although a reactive shove after Toews got clocked landed him in an awkward headlock for a few seconds.
“Hopefully there was no intent into the head,” Avs forward Andrew Cogliano said of the Benn ambush.
Then, instead of walking it back, Cogs walked it forward.
“Maybe there was, obviously, a little bit to the head,” Cogliano added. “But, yeah, I don’t know.”
He knew. Everybody did.
“It’s a physical game this time of year,” Bednar said, “but I just can’t understand how that was not a penalty. Even if it isn’t a five (minute major).”
Join the club. Fortunately, Toews returned to the ice, but Benn needs a break. And a lesson. If the league won’t do it, somebody in burgundy and blue needs to apply a little elbow grease.
Better yet, the whole elbow.
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Sean Keeler
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Michael Porter Jr. said he received individual texts from Nuggets teammates checking on him after a difficult week in his personal life. His brother Coban, 22, was sentenced to six years in prison Friday for killing a woman in a drunk driving crash last year. And his brother Jontay, 24, was banned for life from the NBA earlier in the week after being investigated in a sports betting scandal.
“Each one of them texted me separately and just told me they’ve got my back. If I need anything, they’ve got me,” Porter said Saturday night after a 114-103 Game 1 win at Ball Arena. “Yeah, a lot of people were reaching out. Friends, family. So to have these guys understand why I missed practice yesterday and just have my back has been big for me.”
Porter’s absence from practice Friday was because he appeared in court that morning for Coban’s sentencing hearing. MPJ addressed the family of the victim, Kathy Limon Rothman, in the courtroom, saying, “I understand your family’s pain and hurt.”
In his return to basketball Saturday, he registered 19 points and eight rebounds against the Lakers.
“We’re human, so we carry our emotions and the things that go on off the court onto the court,” Porter said. “But I’m mentally tough. I’ve been through a lot through my whole career, so it was just another one of those things that I had to try to play through.”
Jontay Porter was on a two-way deal with the Raptors’ organization when he allegedly shared information about his health with an individual he knew to be a sports bettor March 20. After another sports bettor subsequently placed an $80,000 parlay bet that Porter would underperform in Toronto’s game that night, Porter played only three minutes, claiming he felt ill. A league investigation also found Porter placed bets on NBA games, including one wager on the Raptors to lose a game.
When the investigation first came to light, Michael Porter Jr. said he doubted that his brother would jeopardize his career by gambling on games.
“Definitely tried to compartmentalize,” Michael Porter Jr. said Saturday. “Some bad and sad stuff happened to a couple of my brothers. But I’ve got 15, 16 more brothers in here. So I knew I had to be there for them. And come in here and do my job and try to prepare to do it at a high level.”
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Bennett Durando
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If the Nuggets really want the title of “Lakers’ Daddy,” they’ll have the chance to earn it with an earlier-than-expected rematch.
Less than a year after their Western Conference Finals sweep, the Nuggets will face the Lakers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, tipping off Saturday at Ball Arena with Game 1. Denver (57-25) enters the series having won eight consecutive head-to-head matchups against Los Angeles.
The Lakers (47-35) finished the regular season in eighth place and defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 110-106 in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday to earn the matchup. Pelicans star Zion Williamson scored 40 points but mysteriously disappeared to the locker room with an apparent injury after scoring a game-tying floater with 3:19 remaining.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 23 points on 6-of-20 shooting. Anthony Davis added 20 points and 15 rebounds. D’Angelo Russell, who shot a career-high 41.5% from 3-point range this season, scored 21, including a critical corner three that gave Los Angeles a four-point lead with a minute to go.
In the 2023-24 regular season, presumptive MVP Nikola Jokic averaged 29.3 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in three games against the Lakers. Jamal Murray averaged 24.7 points, five rebounds and 9.3 assists in the matchup. The Nuggets point guard seems more likely to thrive in this matchup than he might have against New Orleans’ scrappy wing defenders; he was a 32.5 point-per-game scorer in the four-game series last spring, while Jokic averaged a triple-double against Anthony Davis.
All three regular-season clashes involved a ceremony, by sheer scheduling serendipity. In the NBA season opener, the Nuggets won after receiving their 2023 championship rings and raising the title banner. The two games in Los Angeles coincided with the unveiling of a Kobe Bryant statue and the celebration of James’ 40,000th career point, which he scored by driving past Michael Porter Jr.
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Bennett Durando
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