Nuggets Have Three-Point Shooting Concerns Heading Into Next Season

After taking home the 2023 NBA Championship, the Denver Nuggets suffered an unexpected second-round exit this season. The Minnesota Timberwolves ousted the defending champs in one of the most exciting seven-game series in this year’s postseason.

Denver could not figure out consistent ways to break down Minnesota’s top-rated defense. Heading into the 2024-25 campaign, the Nuggets have more concerns offensively that could step in the way of another title run in the Nikola Jokic era- three-point shooting.

Three-Point Volume Must Increase

Denver ranks near the bottom of the league in both threes made and attempts

The Nuggets offense is predicated on Jokić’s dynamic passing skills and efficient scoring from the post. He and Jamal Murray have great chemistry on the pick-and-roll, forming one of the best duos in today’s NBA. Even though Jokić consistently finds Aaron Gordon on a cut to the rim or Michael Porter Jr. for an open triple, Denver cannot fully utilize Jokić’s superb court vision unless it has enough shooting on the floor.

When Denver won the championship two seasons ago, the team did not shoot a lot of threes. However, they ranked 18th in threes made per contest and fourth in percentage from deep. The elite efficiency, combined with a sizable jump in triples made compared to this season, was enough to land the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

In their second-round playoff series this season, the lack of outside threats limited the Nuggets’ offensive options. Rudy Gobert prevented easy looks around the rim, and Anthony Edwards , Jaden McDaniels , and Nickeil Alexander-Walker contained Denver’s perimeter scorers. If the Nuggets had more shooting threats, they could have spread out the Timberwolves’ defense more, making it more difficult to rotate and recover.

Porter and Murray were the only Denver players to average more than two made triples per game this season. In the playoffs, Porter averaged 2.8 threes per game, but Murray was the next closest at 1.9. The third-ranked threat from beyond the arc, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope , served as the quintessential 3-and-D wing in Denver, guarding the opponent’s best perimeter scoring threat.

However, he signed a three-year, $66 million contract with the Orlando Magic after declining his player option for next season. Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth has faith in third-year wing, Christian Braun , to take over as the starting shooting guard for the upcoming campaign.

Denver Needs Their Young Guys to Step Up

Christian Braun and Peyton Watson project to have increased roles next season

Braun has all the tools to be a difference-maker on defense in the NBA. He hustles, dives for loose balls, and has great size at 6-foot-6 at the shooting guard position. He brings more athleticism and slashing ability than Caldwell-Pope, but he has struggled from downtown early in his career.

Braun needs to become a threat from beyond the arc to attack closeouts off the catch. If he can punish defenders for careless closeouts, it adds another wrinkle to the Nuggets offense. However, teams will likely make him prove he can hit threes consistently to do so.

Similar to Braun, Peyton Watson will also be entering his third NBA season with more eyes on him. Watson is an athletic, 6-foot-8 forward who has already racked up a handful of defensive highlights in his first two campaigns. He ranked 14th in the NBA with 88 blocks this season in just 18.6 minutes per game.

Watson is still developing an outside shot. He attempted 1.9 triples per game and converted just 29.6 percent this season.

While the Nuggets will likely enter next season as a top threat in the Western Conference, they are also taking a risk, counting on development from their younger players to lift them back to a deep playoff run.

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