July 18th 2024.
The Denver Nuggets secured a decisive 86-71 victory against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The game proved to be a bright spot in an otherwise lackluster summer league for the Nuggets, with the standout performance of their newest two-way contract signee, Trey Alexander, stealing the show. Although Alexander may not have been the most efficient player on the court, his energy and aggressive play were certainly encouraging for the Nuggets' front office, especially in terms of backcourt depth.
Another two-way signee for the Nuggets, PJ Hall, also made an impact on the game after sitting out Tuesday's match. Hall's impressive block on Jarace Walker's dunk attempt brought the sparse crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center to their feet. Overall, the Nuggets put on an impressive defensive display, holding the Pacers to just 31.5% shooting. This was a significant improvement from their previous games, and the 6-foot-9 Hall played a crucial role in turning things around. While the Pacers' poor 3-point shooting certainly helped, any positive performance was welcomed by the Nuggets after a tough start to the summer league, which included a season-ending injury for their first-round pick, DaRon Holmes II.
One player who was hoping to recapture the magic of last year's summer league was Hunter Tyson, who had been a breakout star for the Nuggets. However, up until Thursday's game, he had yet to find his rhythm. Despite solid point production in the first three games, Tyson's efficiency had been lacking. This was evident early on in Thursday's game when he missed four of his first five shots, including a questionable attempt at the basket during a fast break. ESPN commentator Seth Greenberg noted that Tyson seemed to be trying too hard and his decision-making was not up to par. However, the 6-foot-8 forward bounced back from his rough start and put on a show, scoring 23 points on 8-of-18 shooting, including 3 of 6 from beyond the arc. It was a performance that may just be the perfect way to end the summer league on a high note.
In other news, the Nuggets are expected to sign point guard Russell Westbrook, and his arrival can't come soon enough. As demonstrated in the past week, the Nuggets' other potential backup point guard, Jalen Pickett, is still a work in progress. The former Penn State star has struggled, shooting just 22.7% from the field in the first four games. In Thursday's game, Pickett failed to make a single basket, including an awkward corner 3-point attempt, before being subbed out in the first half. While he did manage to set up a few open shots for his teammates, his own performance has been disappointing, with a combined 5 of 24 field goals and 1 of 8 from downtown in the summer league. It remains to be seen if he will play in the Nuggets' final game this weekend, but regardless, his performance this summer has been underwhelming.
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