The Denver Nuggets set a bizarre record in their close win over the Warriors
By Tyler Key
The Denver Nuggets faced off with the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day in a game that showcased the two most recent NBA championship teams. Denver ended up victorious as they edged out Golden State by a score of 120-114, and the Nuggets starting five were the big story, with every starter scoring 16+ points while outplaying their counterparts.
With that being said, an underrated storyline is the bizarre rebounding record that the Nuggets’ bench set. Denver’s substitutes played a combined 59 minutes but recorded 0 rebounds as a unit. This was the most bench minutes played without anyone recording a single rebound in NBA history.
The #DenverNuggets 59 total bench minutes played without grabbing a rebound is a new #NBA record.
— KeySportsTakes (@TylerRobertKey) December 26, 2023
🏀 First time that #NuggetsNation haven’t recorded a bench rebound since the 1982-1983 season.
🏀 First time a bench unit hasn’t recorded a rebound since the #OrlandoMagic in 2013. pic.twitter.com/ByTEFWslGF
The Denver Nuggets set an unusual record with their Christmas Day win.
The Nuggets bench unit on Christmas Day consisted of Reggie Jackson, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, and Zeke Nnaji. The collection of Mile High substitutes added 15 points, 5 assists, and a steal, but they were unable to record any rebounds in their near-hour of combined court time.
This is the first time since 1982–1983 that a Nuggets bench unit has recorded 0 rebounds. Luckily, the Denver starters were able to carry the rebounding load, with Nikola Jokic pulling down 14 boards and Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon each grabbing 10 rebounds of their own.
The most recent NBA team to go without recording a bench rebound was the Orlando Magic over a decade ago, on December 9th, 2013. Meanwhile, the now-silver medalist for most bench minutes played without grabbing a board is all the way back on March 7th, 1995, when the Miami Heat substitutes played a combined 50 minutes and couldn’t record a single rebound.
This record will certainly not make any headlines and is by no means something that the defending NBA champions will cherish, but it is still a record nonetheless. With the previous “most bench minutes played without a rebound” record lasting for over a decade before being dethroned, there is no saying how long this new Denver Nuggets record could last.
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