The Denver Nuggets won their first Summer League game 86-71 over the Indiana Pacers with some good efforts from most of Denver’s contracted players. Hunter Tyson led both squads in scoring, with 23 points on 18 shots to go with 3 rebounds, and two-way guard Trey Alexander had 19 points on 13 shots (along with 7-for-7 on free throws) to go with his 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. PJ Hall had a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double along with 3 assists and a couple of nice blocks. Jalen Picket, however, had zeroes for his box score in 9 minutes before he was pulled in the second quarter, not to return.

Game Recap

Denver started with Jalen Pickett on-ball and Trey Alexander as the 2 guard. Hunter Tyson missed a three, PJ Hall had a turnover sandwiched by a couple of rebounds, Pickett was unable to back down the Pacers to score and Alexander missed a three. The scoring didn’t start until Alexander dribbled around into a step-back 3, but Indiana only had one bucket as well. Tyson missed another three off a Pickett kick-out, PJ Hall missed a deep shot as well, but Walter Ellis drove the rim for a finish and a foul as Denver took a 6-4 lead. Tyson put it on the floor into traffic and got blocked, but Hall rolled to the basket and finished a Trey Alexander assist. Alexander fought for a rebound and created a transition opportunity with another assist to Tyson for a dunk as Denver pushed the lead to 6. The Nuggets missed a couple of shots that were well set up, but Jahmir Young had a paint finish as well as a couple of free throws to grow Denver’s lead. The offense scuffled again when Alexander went off the court, though, and Denver finished the first up 18-13.

Jahmir Young opened the second quarter scoring for Denver with a layup, but both teams were brutal from the floor in the quarter’s opening minutes. Alexander missed a couple of threes, but Hunter Tyson hit a step-back fadeaway and Alexander got to the line to stretch the lead to 28-15 as the Pacers created nothing on offense and laid brick after brick from deep. PJ Hall had a beautiful block, meeting the Pacers player at the height of the jump for the rejection. Denver had a couple of brutal live-ball turnovers but somehow didn’t get hurt by it, and Alexander got back to the line after a layup to help force the offense to work. Au’Diese Toney missed a layup but got to the line to stretch the lead further, Tyson made a three, and despite Alexander’s missed buzzer pull-up the Nuggets went into the half up 42-26.

Trey Alexander opened the second half with a patient pullup that went in smoothly as he opened the second half on ball. PJ Hall had a 3 rim out, Alexander turned the ball over, and the Pacers started making shots leading to what would be termed a rage timeout if a Denver coach took it in the regular season. Alexander and Walter Ellis both clanked threes out of the timeout, but PJ Hall put back a Toney three-point miss. Tyson gave up a 3 on one end and could not get it back on the other end while the Pacers looked much more alive in the second half, closing the gap to 50-42. Indiana tried some full court pressure but Jahmir Young corralled an offensive rebound for a 3. Tyson made a technical free through and Young parted the defense for a layup. Tyson’s attempt at a layup was blocked but he made his next long jumper. The Pacers had another run in them however as the Nuggets scored just 16 points in the period and Indiana was down just 7 to end the quarter at 59-52.

Hall committed an offensive foul on a pick-and-roll with Alexander and then Trey stepped out of bounds the next time out as Denver’s offense kept sputtering, but Hall hit Tyson for layup-and-one. Denver’s rebounding woes continued with their smaller lineups, but Gabe McGlothan grabbed one and put it back in to keep the lead at 9 for Denver. Tyson hit his second 3 of the game, and Alexander got a steal and tried to throw a half court pass to Young but it was just a little too far ahead. Tyson put the scoring on his back though, with free throws and a three to put Denver back up double digits. Trey Alexander hit a great curl shot for a 3 in the closing minutes, McLothan hit a three assisted by Tyson, and the Nuggets finally notched their first Summer League win 86-71 over the Pacers.

Final Thoughts

If there was a point guard battle, Jalen Pickett didn’t win it. He started the game on-ball and was not able to get much of anything done. By midway through the first the Nuggets were already turning to Alexander to run the offense, and with Pickett only playing a handful of minutes in this game there aren’t a lot of reasons for optimism. His game is not well-suited to Summer League, but the falloff from his Summer League and G League outings last year is drastic and obvious. Whatever is going on with him, this has been a step back and not what Denver was hoping to see heading into a season where the third point guard duties are up for grabs. Further chances to prove he can show the growth that Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson have that will get them bench minutes are going to be tougher to come by.

Trey Alexander is not a true point guard – but that might play in his favor. Alexander is a smart player who is very vocal on the court, as evinced by the mic’d-up footage of him ESPN showed a couple of times where he called out defensive coverages, warned about screens, and otherwise talked his way through most possessions. Denver needs active players who are heady and understand their responsibilities, and Trey has been showing that all Summer League. He doesn’t necessarily pass guys open, but in coordination with PJ Hall they were able to get the ball moving and to open scorers. Dario Saric will be able to work similarly with Alexander if Trey gets time with the big club this year, and his handle and ability to consistently draw fouls getting to the rack could also help the bench.

The Nuggets need players who can get their own buckets and also collapse the defense to make everyone else have an easier shot – that’s the kind of on-ball presence Alexander is showing he can grow into. He’ll likely start in the G League as he gets his feet under him in pro ball, but I expect significant periods of time with Trey on the big club even if he’s not playing, just to get him acclimated to how the Jokic offense works. If he is Denver’s de facto third point guard now, then Denver will need him during the regular season – so I hope he’s a quick study.

Hunter Tyson showed his shot again in this game, but it’s not enough to get him NBA minutes. Tyson went 3-for-6 from deep in this game and was a +15 on the afternoon, second only to Alexander’s +18. He was also aggressive to the rim with mixed results, getting blocked or sent to the line rather than finishing the play. But his 3 rebounds in 33 minutes are problematic, as is his inability to bother shooters at the three point line due to a lack of wingspan and agility. He can be a bucket getter without doing a lot of other things, but he needs to be a knock-down shooter in games not just in practice for him to get that opportunity. 8 makes and 10 misses is his best outing of this Summer League so far, and hopefully he can turn that into more performances playing within himself as training camp and the preseason get here. Denver needs more shooting off the bench – it can’t be just Julian Strawther. If Tyson can get buckets, he’ll get on the court, but staying there will require his team defense and rebounding ability to take steps forward in year 2.