Before today’s exhibition game against the Washington Wizards, Denver coach Michael Malone teased what to expect from the shorthanded Nuggets with this quote (h/t Mike Singer):
“You’ve heard for years now that this game is truly a positionless game in the modern day era. Well, we’re going to find out how well that holds tonight.”
Well, it held out pretty well, even if it was just a scrimmage. Denver started basically the five tallest available players on the roster and ended up taking down the Wizards 89-82.
Of course, the star of the show was absolutely Bol Bol. Bol made his first NBA appearance and HE WAS AMAZING. He hit pull-up threes. He blocked shots. He dunked. He was raw but his raw talent is so good. Was it just one game, one meaningless scrimmage? Yes, but after everything going on in the world, seeing a glimpse of his potential was just what every Nuggets fan needed.
Bol finished with a monster double-double, 16 points and 10 rebounds, along with a hefty six blocks.
Also impressive in his Nuggets debut was Troy Daniels who showed some versatility with his ability to score. Daniels had a cool 22 points on 44% three-point shooting and really helped Denver pull out the win. Will it be enough to earn a spot in the playoff rotation? Remains to be seen, but he does seem like a smart pickup.
Any questions regarding Nikola Jokic’s size can be thrown out the window. The Joker was awesome. He went 16-7-7 and seriously looked like he hasn’t missed a beat over the past four months.
All in all, a great night for the Nuggets. Next up is the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.
