The Denver Nuggets are now 6-3 on the season after a four-game home winning streak. Their wins have come with a balanced attack between their mostly-experienced starting lineup and an influx of young players. After having a solidified starting lineup over the past couple of seasons, Christian Braun became the starting shooting guard this season. So far, he has thrived in that role, scoring in double digits in all nine games (45 over the last two). The Nuggets’ youth has been extremely impactful, especially off the bench. They have chosen a youth-over-experience route, a key factor in their win streak.
Denver Nuggets are Playing Youth Over Experience
Key Veteran Losing Minutes to Youth
After losing in the second round of the 2024 playoffs, the Nuggets lacked a strong bench unit. They ran their starting lineup into the ground with too much overload. They lacked a solid bench player outside of Braun, forcing their starters to play more minutes. This offseason, they signed former MVP Russell Westbrook on a veteran’s minimum contract, who has provided a spark of energy. Westbrook’s impact has already shown its merit.
The other key veteran the Nuggets signed this offseason was Dario Šarić. He played backup power forward for the first five games of this season, struggling heavily on both ends in his minutes. He averaged only 1.0 points per game, shooting 2-12 from the field. In his 44 minutes on the season, he has a plus/minus of -41. His play was abysmal, and he was having underwhelming performances both offensively and defensively. His poor play forced the Nuggets to turn to their young bench players.
Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson, and Hunter Tyson have vaulted into bigger roles with the poor play of Šarić. Aaron Gordon‘s injury increased their minutes even more, and they have not disappointed. They provided the energy and effort the Nuggets desperately needed from their bench. Strawther has knocked down open threes and has doubled his points per game from a season ago. Watson has locked down on defense, including a game-saving block against the Oklahoma City Thunder, handing them their first loss. Tyson has brought effort off the bench, the main reason he vaulted Šarić on the depth chart.
Building Through the Draft
The Nuggets youth movement has been in the making throughout Michael Malone’s tenure with the team. It started even before Malone joined when in the 2014 NBA Draft, the Nuggets ended up with two solid role players: Gary Harris and Jusuf Nurkić in the first round. The Nuggets traded for both players which led to an improvement in their roster. In the second round of the same draft, they drafted three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. In the years following, they drafted several key players including Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Braun, all of whom played big roles on their championship-winning team.
What started with Tim Connelly as the Nuggets’ general manager, who drafted Jokić, Murray, and Porter Jr., has now extended to Calvin Booth. Booth has drafted all four young players who have played impactful roles. He mentioned how the Nuggets have to build their depth through the draft. With the new collective bargaining agreement, he has done exactly that. He has turned several low first-round picks into impactful role players.
Now the Nuggets youth is a massive reason they are on a four-game winning streak and returning to a state where they are one of the top threats in the Western Conference. They rely on their youth movement to bring consistent energy to every game. So far, they have responded well, outperforming the veterans sitting on the Nuggets bench. If their solid play can continue, the Nuggets will have the depth needed to make another deep playoff run.
