Denver Nuggets: Nuggets Lose Center JaVale McGee
Denver Nuggets starting center JaVale McGee is out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his lower left tibia. The 7-foot Flint, Mich., native has been complaining about soreness in his tibia for some time. Timofey Mozgov is expected to take McGee’s starting role, as he is the only other listed center on the roster. The Nuggets have gotten off to a slow start in 2013, so let’s see how McGee’s injury effects the team.
| Season | Tm | PER | TS% | TRB% | AST% | BLK% | TOV% | WS | WS/48 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | WAS | 19.6 | .539 | 18.2 | 3.9 | 6.9 | 13.1 | 2.8 | .120 |
| 2011-12 | DEN | 20.5 | .588 | 16.3 | 2.5 | 5.9 | 9.8 | 1.3 | .148 |
| 2012-13 | DEN | 20.7 | .589 | 14.9 | 2.7 | 8.5 | 12.9 | 4.9 | .163 |
| 2013-14 | DEN | 10.8 | .444 | 11.4 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 16.9 | -0.1 | -0.050 |
| Career | 18.4 | .557 | 15.9 | 3.0 | 7.0 | 12.5 | 18.2 | .119 | |
| 4 seasons | WAS | 17.7 | .547 | 16.2 | 3.1 | 6.7 | 12.5 | 12.2 | .108 |
| 3 seasons | DEN | 20.3 | .582 | 15.1 | 2.7 | 7.9 | 12.5 | 6.0 | .151 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/11/2013.
As you can see, McGee has been playing at an All-Star level ever since his arrival to Denver. Don’t look to much into the small sample size in 2013, his tibia soreness probably effected his production on the court. The former Nevada player has been among the best shot blockers in the NBA over the last three seasons. Despite being praised for his shot blocking ability, McGee has been criticized for his lack of an offensive game. Let’s see how he compares against his peers:
| Rk | Player | Pos | Tm | PER | TS% | TRB% | BLK% ▾ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JaVale McGee | C | DEN | 20.7 | .589 | 14.9 | 8.5 |
| 2 | Chris Johnson | C | MIN | 18.4 | .650 | 12.1 | 7.6 |
| 3 | Larry Sanders | C | MIL | 18.7 | .523 | 18.6 | 7.6 |
| 4 | Serge Ibaka | PF | OKC | 19.4 | .612 | 14.2 | 7.4 |
| 5 | Roy Hibbert | C | IND | 17.3 | .489 | 16.1 | 6.7 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/11/2013.
JaVale led the NBA in block percentage in 2012-13. A quick glance at the chart and you can see that McGee doesn’t get as much love as he deserves. He has the highest PER among this list, even higher than Serge Ibaka. His rebounding and true shooting percentage are up to par with the elite shot blockers in the NBA. When you think of best young centers in the NBA, JaVale McGee often gets overlooked despite the fact that the numbers support his cause. Do the Nuggets have what it takes to replace him? Let’s take a look at what Timofey Mozgov brings to the table:
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/11/2013.
Obviously, Mozgov can not single-handedly replace McGee’s production. The 7’1” center has, however, enjoyed a nice start to his 2013-14 campaign. Will his numbers career out through the course of the season? That remains to be seen. Having Mozgov in the lineup also changes the dynamic of the Nuggets offense. McGee might be the most athletic center in the NBA. With him, the Nuggets are able to run a fast tempo type offense. Mozgov is, well, not athletic. Offensively Denver will not be able to do the same things.
This injury is very unfortunate for a Nuggets franchise that had high hopes coming into the season. Along with the ACL injury to Danilo Gallinari, the Nuggets are without their two best players for a significant amount of time. Could Denver be entering the Andrew Wiggins sweepstakes? The next two months will answer that question.
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