Playing on back-to-back nights got to the Denver Nuggets. They ran out of gas in the second half against the Chicago Bulls getting outscored 64-54. They remained competitive, even turning up with a 13-point lead in the first half. But the Bulls are unyielding. Coby White and Josh Giddey once again found a way out of a messy situation. And coach Michael Malone attributed their loss to not being great at the things they usually do.
That comes with stopping teams in transition. The Bulls were 20 points better in transition scoring tonight. In a game where both sides were desperate to win, it happened to become the deciding factor. But there were some bright spots for the Nuggets. Particularly, with Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon missing, third-year forward Peyton Watson stepped up with a spectacular performance.
He added 24 points to go with 4 blocks and 6 rebounds in the loss. Malone was fond of his performance. But he has now set a challenge for the 22-year-old. Can he continue to operate at such a fierce level?
“I often say you know for any young player in this league not just Peyton Watson, not just Christian Braun but any young player in this league consistency is by far the greatest challenge. Can you find a way to be great one night and really good the next instead of having peaks and valleys? And I think uh to your point Vinnie, I think Peyton’s done a good job of kind of bringing forth that effort that we need from him and contributing in an efficient manner like he did tonight. He had he had a really good performance,” Malone said about the athletic forward.
Mar 24, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (8) reacts with guard Russell Westbrook (4) after a play in the third quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
But it’s not something he expects just from the younger players. With the Joker being a part of the team, players can over-rely on his abilities at times. What Malone wants though is for each player to exude confidence. It’s not just Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray that can hurt the opposition. He wants everybody on the floor to have the same mentality.
“When the ball finds you off a drive and kick or Jamal Murray’s being double teamed or Nikola’s being double teamed and that ball finds you step into your shot and shoot it with confidence. But I want Payton, I want all of our players to play with an attack mindset,” said Malone.
A goal that faded away for the Nuggets tonight
This game against the Chicago Bulls carried great significance for the Denver Nuggets. They had a chance to step closer to being the second seed in the West. The Houston Rockets still have a game in hand against the Nuggets. A win tonight would have greatly reduced the margin of error for them. However, with the Nuggets’ loss now they have some breathing room.
Jamal Murray was the first to understand this. As he dictated during the press conference, “I just want to win. I knew that if we win every game from here on out we have a chance to be the second seed. So not anymore”.
He tried his hardest, being aggressive just like the last game and scoring 28 points. But fatigue got the better of the Nuggets. Still, why give up on hopes so early? Because at this point, their road to the second seed depends on the results around them. Although the Lakers are in a slump, they have two games in hand and have gotten healthy over the past two games.
If they manage to win the next two games, they will take the third seed over the Nuggets. So what if the Rockets slip up? For now, a team that has only lost once in their last 10 games abruptly losing their momentum sounds improbable. Still, there’s always a chance. The Nuggets need to ensure they stack up as many wins as possible in the nine games that remain.
But even that is going to be a challenging ordeal. Nikola Jokic will return during their upcoming five-game homestand but there’s no confirmed date for his return. Winning without him will require the Nuggets to follow what Malone has said. Only if they can create multiple threats on the floor can the team really disturb defenses.
So it won’t just have to come from Peyton Watson. The entire contingent needs to carry the same mindset. And if they do win, then it’s all about hoping that those close to them drop games and open up a window. The likelihood is less, but not out of the question.
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