Everyone is still trying to find their way in this new environment after the shocking firing of Michael Malone, including Peyton Watson.
Two weeks later, and it still hasn’t quite sunk in for the third-year wing out of UCLA.
“I can’t equate it to anything that’s happened in my career before,” Watson shared with me about Malone’s surprising departure. “I think it’s some of the biggest head coaching news in a long time.”
“A lot of us were surprised with the timing of the whole situation. You know, just with three games left and whatnot,” Watson recounted of that Tuesday morning. “Just having that meeting in the morning, last second, short notice, and just kind of having kind of like a suspenseful feeling like what’s about to happen right now.”
Malone and Calvin Booth were then fired, and the Nuggets were forced to play on, shifting from what happened in the first 79 games of the season to making the most of the final three. Denver went 3-0 in that stretch, and Watson played a major role in the game against the Kings, playing 25 minutes which was the most off the bench for Denver that night.
Watson has worked hard to make himself available when called upon. During a year when Denver’s defense took a step back, it was often Watson picking up the pieces as a back line defender. Watson ranked 11th in the entire NBA with 2.7 blocks per 100 possessions. Only nine centers and Jonathan Isaac surpassed him this season. That rim protection and overall defense helped the Nuggets maintain consistency on defense when Watson was on the floor. His athleticism and defensive playmaking gave Denver an element they were missing at times.
He’s hoping to bring that to the table when the Nuggets face Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Norman Powell on the perimeter against the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Harden and Kawhi are Hall of Fame level players, and Norm was playing at an All-Star level before the break,” Watson shared. “It’s just got to be a hyper focus on what their tendencies are and what they do well and what they want to get to and kind of try to take that away and make them uncomfortable individually.”
Watson made sure to remind me that this wasn’t a matchup Denver sought out though.
“There’s no easy way out in the West. Every team is good. Every team is deep, and we could lose to or beat any one of these teams. So I think we just gotta bring it, come with our hard hats on.”
During the final Denver Nuggets practice yesterday before the playoffs begin, Watson was the last player on the floor getting some extra shots up.
He didn’t make every three he attempted. He took his time frequently, visualizing game moments and the opportunity he continues to hope for. He did make a large amount of them though. It’s fair to describe Watson’s jumper as one of the final barriers to a consistent role in a playoff environment.
“I know that historically when we played against these guys, they’ve kind of sunk off me or helped off me and left me with some open looks,” Watson shared. “So I’ll be looking forward to that, looking forward to knocking them down and making some big shots for the team.”
The team the Nuggets are facing, the Los Angeles Clippers, did give Watson some open shots pretty consistently. At times, Watson hesitated, wanting to ensure the Nuggets were getting a great shot. In the playoffs, the best shot Denver get might be a standstill three-pointer for Watson. He’s working hard to be reliable when David Adelman calls his number.
On the season, Watson made 35.3% of his threes, shooting a higher percentage than the year before (29.6% in 2023-24) but on a lower volume (5.1 threes attempted per 100 possessions in 2023-24 vs 3.9 threes attempted per 100 this year). It’s a notable difference but also one of the reasons the Nuggets are better offensively this year. They miss fewer outside shots. Watson used fewer possessions as a scorer overall, often giving way to Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Russell Westbrook.
As a result, it’s no wonder that Watson was working on the “dare” shots, the ones that the opposing defense is willing to concede. If Watson can make those consistently in these playoffs, it will help Denver tremendously because it keeps one of Denver’s best defenders on the floor. Jokic and Murray can do a lot for Denver, but if Jokic gets triple-teamed and Murray sees the best perimeter defender at all times, it will be extremely helpful to have Watson making shots.
It’s on Watson almost entirely though. When you’re left on an island offensively, it can be nerve-racking putting up jumpers while everybody’s watching.
“I feel like the biggest moments are the best and the ones that you gotta cherish the most, you know?” Watson shared. “I feel like it’s a lot less pressure and a lot more like fun and competitive to me. That’s something that I look forward to. I’m a riser and I’m a gamer, so I can’t wait to be put in these scenarios. This is what we work our whole lives for, to play in the playoffs and have a chance to win a championship.”
Last season, Watson wasn’t a part of the playoff rotation at the end of the year. Against Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Watson played roughly five total rotation minutes in Game 1 and wasn’t used again. He made some defensive plays, but after getting a shot blocked by Rudy Gobert and missing a three on the next possession, he came out of the game and never really got a shot for the rest of the series.
This year, it has to be different for the Nuggets to advance. Full stop.
Adelman knows Watson has to get an opportunity, but it will be dependent on his defensive impact.
“I would say play as hard as he can for as long as he can. He has to affect the game defensively. If they crossmatch and put a center on him, he’s gotta be an active screener, a dribble handoff guy, create two-v-one’s all over the court.”
Adelman continued: “If they double off of him and he’s open, shoot it. If he cuts behind the double team, be aggressive to score at the rim. Don’t be soft. Go in there and play.”
Communication has been a big buzzword for the Nuggets lately, and Watson agreed that he’s seeing more communication and appreciated the effort behind it.
“I just think that the communication has been everything within between me and the coaching staff. It’s night and day between last year and this year with them being transparent with me,” Watson shared. “We’ll get you in on this guy, and we’ll get you in at this time. You’ll be doing this for this amount of time, and then you might be out for some time. But I understand that we got one of the best cores in the league as far as our starting five goes, so you can never go wrong with trusting any one of those five guys.”
If this series goes the way I think it will, the Nuggets are going to need Watson, and he’s going to need them.
“This is the time of the year where the most adversity hits. So we gotta have each other’s back because nobody else will. It’s dog eat dog world. Everybody’s trying to win and advance. So for us, it’s just all about keeping each other in check, holding each other accountable, and keeping energy right within the locker room.”
If Watson can execute the game plan Denver needs from them as a defender, he’s going to see an increased role. The Nuggets have long needed defense, and they’ve needed players that can fly around consistently, orbiting their best players to account for mistakes. Watson has shown that capability, but only when his effort level stays high. When he’s the hardest working player on the court, it shows up in some incredible defensive moments, transition opportunities, and high-flying dunks. It’s the kind of energy any playoff team needs to flip the momentum and extend a lead.
If Watson can prove he’s that and more, this summer will be a lucrative one for him. With both Watson and Christian Braun facing extension talks, the Nuggets will be using these playoffs as an audition of sorts for the future of the team. Everything is in flux right now, and the players that show they can handle that pressure are the ones they will feature going forward.
“I try to stress the importance or stress how much I take this seriously and how much I do understand the importance of this moment,” Watson declared. “I’m ready for it all.”
