On Monday, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Toronto Raptors by a score of 121-119. This victory brought their record to a respectable 4-3, tied with five other teams for fourth in the Western Conference. Unfortunately for the Nuggets, Aaron Gordon went down with a calf injury early in the first half and did not return. His injury will keep him out for a few weeks, and will open up minutes for the Nuggets’ young bench pieces. Most notable is Peyton Watson, the third-year player out of UCLA. Watson has shown flashes throughout his first two seasons, especially last season where he carved out a defined role during the regular season. Now, the Nuggets will rely on him in Gordon’s absence.
Peyton Watson is Primed for an Increased Role
High-Energy Defense
Watson has a lengthy build and raw talent. His 6-foot-8 frame with a 7-foot-1 wingspan gives him a natural advantage physically on the defensive side of the court. Combining that with his quickness and energy enables him to be a versatile defender capable of defending multiple positions. Watson showcased his defensive skills well during the 2023-24 season in an increased role. Last season, Watson held his opponents to 42.4% shooting from the field when he was the primary defender. Out of the 225 players who defended at least 500 shots last year, Watson held his opponents to the second-lowest shooting percentage. That percentage was 4.6% worse than those players typically shoot per game, which can be significant throughout a game.
Heading into this season, the Nuggets were hopeful for Watson’s progression. So far he is allowing his opponents to shoot 44.4% from the field while he is the primary defender, which is still 1.4% worse than what those players typically shoot. That number can fluctuate early in the season, but as Watson defends more shots, he could lower it to a number similar to last season. Losing Gordon to his injury means the Nuggets will be absent one of their best defenders. They will be relying on Watson to pick up some of the slack defensively, while also contributing on offense.
Increased Offensive Confidence
With Watson set to play a bigger role in the coming weeks, it will allow him to find a groove offensively. The 22-year-old is still a raw prospect with untapped potential. He has struggled with consistency at the offensive end throughout his early career. The start of the 2024-25 season has continued that trend for Watson. Although the early season doesn’t define what is to come, he has shown little to no improvement at the offensive end. He was held out with an injury throughout the preseason, so he is still trying to find his legs to show his improvement.
Watson is coming off of his best game of the season, especially offensively. He scored 16 points on 4-7 shooting from the field, including a huge three to put the Nuggets up by one in the final two minutes. Watson had this to say regarding his final shot to give the Nuggets the lead via Guerilla Sports on X:
“It felt like a reward for all my hard work. Just because the shots haven’t been going in, it doesn’t mean I haven’t been working at it… It’s something that I know I need to put an emphasis on to get better.”
What propelled Watson’s electrifying game-altering three was his outstanding defense that led to his offense. He posted two steals and two blocks. His all-around performance is exactly what the Nuggets needed without Jamal Murray and adding Gordon’s injury on top of that. Although Watson has not been great on the offensive side of the ball to start the season, he is still finding ways to impact the game.
