Hoops Habit
Fansided

Denver Nuggets: The Battle In The Middle

By Kevin C Keller

Sep 29, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Javale McGee (34) is interviewed during media day at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 29, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Javale McGee (34) is interviewed during media day at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

When the Denver Nuggets started the offseason I predicted that the most interesting part of training camp would be the battle for starting center between seven footers JaVale McGee and Timofey Mozgov.

I was wrong. The Russian seven-footer has won the job, and he’ll be the starting center next Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons for the season opener.

Mozgov won, but that doesn’t mean the position battle at center got any less interesting with Mozgov, McGee and Jusuf Nurkic battling for minutes. The Bosnian rookie Nurkic is already the Denver Nuggets’ most interesting prospect going into the season, and the true battle this summer was for the backup center between the 20-year-old Nurkic, and the $10 million dollar man McGee.

To be fair, we expected JaVale McGee to be fully healthy by the first preseason game, but that didn’t happen. Head coach Brian Shaw has been very careful with McGee’s minutes after he suffered a stress fracture five games into last season, and McGee has only played 11 total minutes this preseason. In those minutes he put up one point, one block and two rebounds (all in the loss against Portland on Tuesday night). It’s clear he’s not 100 percent at this point.

Meanwhile, Nurkic is proving that adjusting to the physicality of the NBA isn’t always an issue for European big men. The forward led the league in rebounding after the third preseason game, and is averaging 6.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game (including a 12-rebound game against the Phoenix Suns) in his first five games on an NBA floor, according to CBSsports.com’s preseason stats. The rookie has also shown some good offensive awareness by shooting 52 percent from the floor in the process.

Shaw, who referred to Nurkic as the “Bosnian Bear” a couple of days ago, has also been impressed by the rookie’s play. Impressed enough to flat out say Nurkic is ahead of McGee on the depth chart right now.

Oct 21, 2014; Boulder, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) and forward Alonzo Gee (1) battle Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum (3) for a rebound during the second half at the Coors Events Center. The Trail Blazers won 93-75. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2014; Boulder, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) and forward Alonzo Gee (1) battle Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum (3) for a rebound during the second half at the Coors Events Center. The Trail Blazers won 93-75. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

“I’m not waiting on anybody,” Shaw told the Denver Post. “So, the depth chart, for instance…at the center position right now is (Timofey Mozgov), (Jusuf) Nurkic, and JaVale. JaVale is just starting to practice, he’s just getting on the floor and playing, and Nurkic is ahead of him right now.”

Exciting times for the 20-year-old, and for Denver Nuggets fans! We’ll get a early look at how NBA ready Nurkic is right away this season, and we’ll get a feel for his potential. While his preseason has been impressive, you always have to take those numbers with a grain of salt. Nurkic won’t be playing 40 minutes a game as the Nuggets still have Kenneth Faried, J.J. Hickson, and Darrell Arthur in the front court, but it’s clear Shaw is impressed and that Nurkic will get some real NBA run when the season stats.

While Nurkic is on the court, JaVale will be getting the time he needs to be healthy. A big part of Shaw’s quote is the “right now” phrase suggesting that JaVale still has the game required to maybe even pass up Mozgov as starter at some point of the season. As we learned in last season’s injury infestation, it’s crucial to let guys get all the way healthy before putting them in a major role (and at higher risk of re-injury).

JaVale will have his opportunity. McGee has averaged 1.9 blocks a game in his career (compared to 0.9 for Mozgov), and that’s something that Shaw will want to utilize when he wants to amp up the defense. In the meantime though, the battle for center of the Denver Nuggets will be played by a couple of international bigs in Mozgov and Nurkic.

Home/Denver Nuggets