November 9th 2024.
The kids up at the Grading The Week offices have never been asked to help with taxes, but they sure know their way around a calculator. And when it comes to the Denver Nuggets, we were thrilled to see Calvin Booth's calculations finally adding up.
Despite losing key players Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon to injuries, the Nuggets went 3-0 from November 3-8. Of course, Nikola Jokic led the way with his impressive stats - 27 points, 15 rebounds, and 14.3 assists per game. But what was even more exciting was the contribution from the young players on the team.
In fact, the Nuggets received almost as many points from players 25 and younger as they did from those 26 and older during those three games. This is a true testament to the electric youth movement happening in Denver and we couldn't be more impressed.
Players like Christian Braun, Julian Strawther, and Peyton Watson stepped up in a big way during this stretch. Braun filled in for both Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, averaging 20.7 points, 2.7 three-pointers, and 6.0 rebounds. Strawther averaged 9.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, while Watson impressed with 14.0 points, 4.7 boards, 2.0 blocks, and 1.3 steals.
And let's not forget about Watson's incredible moment during Wednesday's game, when he bounced back from two missed free throws to block a shot from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and secure a 124-122 victory.
Of course, losing Gordon to injury is not ideal for the Nuggets. However, it may turn out to be a blessing in disguise as coach Michael Malone will have no choice but to rely on the talented young players who have become a core part of the team. We have no doubt that they will rise to the challenge and continue to impress.
In other news, we have to give a big shout-out to CU men's basketball coach Tad Boyle for securing his 300th career victory with the Buffs on Friday night. It was a hard-fought win in double overtime against UNC, the same program where Boyle began his coaching career.
Since joining the Buffs in 2010, Boyle has led the team to 20 or more wins 10 times, reached the NCAA tournament six times, and finished in the top four of their conference four times. This is a stark contrast to the previous 50 years, where CU had only made it to the Big Dance five times.
We mention this because while the Big 12 has been great for the football team, it may prove to be a tougher challenge for Boyle and his young roster in 2024-25. With no blue bloods or powerhouses, the conference is shaping up to be a formidable opponent in basketball. We urge fans to be patient as the Buffs navigate this new landscape, especially with tough matchups on the horizon like Stillwater, Tucson, Lawrence, Ames, and Lubbock.
But with Boyle at the helm, there's no doubt that the Buffs will continue to improve and reach new heights. And for more updates on the Nuggets, be sure to sign up for our Nuggets Insider newsletter.
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