Psst, Nuggets fans: Got any hunches on the Powerball numbers?
Team Grading The Week could use a sweet little influx of capital right about now. And right now, the way we see it, y’all are on a serious roll. Peyton Watson news aside, Friday night just capped maybe the best week to be a fan of the blue and gold since — what, June 12, 2023? The night of Game 5 at Ball Arena?
Consider this: Over one 100-hour stretch, Nuggets fans saw:
• An agreement to watch actual games, over the air, on Denver stations again;
• A new, direct-to-consumer streaming service for Nuggets — and Avalanche — games not in exclusive national rights windows;
• Franchise hurdle Karl Anthony-Towns traded out of not just Minnesota, but shipped out of the Western Conference entirely, as part of a package to the Knicks.
Nuggets Nation, especially those in Denver — A
OK, so let’s get Friday’s bad news out of the way first, with the caveat being that it might not be that bad after all: Athletic swingman Peyton Watson is likely out for the entire preseason while he recovers from a soft tissue hamstring injury. Coach Michael Malone sounded hopeful that nipping this in the bud now hopefully alleviates any concerns down the road, and that the goal is to get springy No. 8 on track to play in the regular season.
But enough about October hoops, huh? The GTW cognoscenti are judging these Nuggets, and the five years of prime championship window Calvin Booth says they have left, on what happens in April, May and June. (Or doesn’t.)
And a shocking swap may have made one of those spring matchups, and one postseason matchup, a little friendlier, on paper.
KAT is a big reason — literally, physically, you name it— why the Wolves stunned the Nuggets in the Western Conference semis this past year. Nikola Jokic, like Superman, has precious few weaknesses. But a team that can run out two capable 7-footers on the floor in the same lineup, including one who effectively serves as a stretch-4 on offense, is one of them.
Minnesota might have more roster/payroll flexibility on paper after trading KAT in a deal that reportedly would bring back Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a draft pick. But they don’t match up nearly as well with the Nuggets, head-to-head, without a hot-shooting KAT, who averaged 24.0 points, 11 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 23 regular-season tussles against Denver. The 6-8 Randle, who’s no slouch, has averaged 18.9 points, 8.5 boards and 4.4 dimes against the Nuggets.
Broncos vs. Helene — B-minus
Sean Payton beat the Bucs, but he couldn’t beat Mother Nature. Keeping his Broncos out east for a week seemed like a foolproof plan — until Tropical Depression Helene showed up. The Greenbrier Resort, the Broncos’ East-Coast HQ in West Virginia, doesn’t have an indoor football practice facility. Because the Appalachians were hit especially hard by the Helene, the Broncos were forced to spend their Friday practice for Sunday’s tilt at the Jets on the resort’s indoor tennis courts.
“It’s part of the deal,” Payton told reporters Friday. “I kind of like it. It was good. I didn’t realize they had this facility.”
John Elway, singer — A for effort; C+ for pitch
If your grandpa is cooler than our grandpa, it’s because your grandpa is John Elway. Takes some big cajónes to karaoke on national TV, and nobody swings big on the big stage like No. 7, even in disguise.
As for the performance, let’s just say Elway’s a heck of a lot better at singing than any of the kids at the GTW offices would ever be at (deep breath) … playing quarterback; playing pro baseball; being an NFL GM; owning an Arena Football League team; golf; steak; wine; cars; investment portfolios; or juggling about a gazillion business interests at the same time. Plus, have you ever seen Ken Jeong THAT happy? This one’s for Leaf Sheep.