The Denver Nuggets won their Summer League opener 86-71 against the Indiana Pacers thanks to a solid effort from most of Denver’s contract players. Hunter Tyson led both teams in scoring with 23 points on 18 shots, along with 3 rebounds, and point guard Trey Alexander scored 19 points on 13 shots (along with 7-of-7 free throws) to go along with 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. PJ Hall had a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds, along with 3 assists and a couple of nice blocks. Jalen Picket, however, had zeros on his scoresheet in 9 minutes before being pulled in the second quarter, never to return.
Game Recap
Denver started with Jalen Pickett on the ball and Trey Alexander as the 2 guard. Hunter Tyson missed a three-pointer, PJ Hall lost a ball between rebounds, Pickett was unable to get the Pacers to score and Alexander missed a three-pointer. The scoring didn’t start until Alexander dribbled for a step-back three-pointer, but Indiana only had one basket as well. Tyson missed another three-pointer on a Pickett kickout, PJ Hall also missed a deep shot, but Walter Ellis pushed the basket for a finish and a foul as Denver led 6-4. Tyson put the ball on the floor in traffic and was blocked, but Hall drove to the basket and finished off an assist from Trey Alexander. Alexander fought for a rebound and created a transition opportunity with another assist to Tyson for a dunk as Denver pushed the lead to 6-0. The Nuggets missed a few well-prepared shots, but Jahmir Young had a finish in the paint and a couple of free throws to extend Denver’s lead. The offense struggled again when Alexander left the court and Denver finished the first frame with a score of 18-13.
PJ Hall and Hunter Tyson score some baskets early in the game against the Pacers 🫡 pic.twitter.com/X6rI6hIeQF
— Cliff Spammonds (@CliffSpammonds) July 18, 2024
Jahmir Young opened the second quarter scoring for Denver with a layup, but both teams were brutal on the floor in the opening minutes of the quarter. Alexander missed a couple of three-pointers, but Hunter Tyson hit a step-back fadeaway and Alexander got to the line to make it 28-15 as the Pacers failed to create anything on offense and laid brick after brick from deep. PJ Hall made a beautiful block, meeting the Pacers player high in the jump for the rejection. Denver had a couple of brutal turnovers but wasn’t 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 make it even bigger, Tyson hit a three-pointer, and despite Alexander’s miss at the buzzer, the Nuggets went into halftime with a 42-26 advantage.
NO X 2 https://t.co/s1NY7ug54t pic.twitter.com/4LvgOJ6xtA
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) July 18, 2024
Trey Alexander opened the second half with a patient shot that went smoothly as he opened the second half with the ball. PJ Hall hit a three-pointer, Alexander lost the ball and the Pacers started making shots leading to what would be called a rage timeout if a Denver coach had taken it in the regular season. Alexander and Walter Ellis both hit three-pointers after the timeout, but PJ Hall turned in a missed three-pointer from Toney. Tyson gave up a three-pointer on one end and couldn’t get it back on the other end as the Pacers looked much more lively in the second half, cutting the lead to 50-42. Indiana tried a full-court press but Jahmir Young grabbed an offensive rebound for a three-pointer. Tyson hit a technical pass and Young picked apart the defense for a layup. Tyson’s layup attempt was blocked but he made his next long shot. The Pacers went on another run though as the Nuggets scored just 16 points in the period and Indiana was down just 7 to end the quarter at 59-52.
Trey Alexander’s Crazy Ending pic.twitter.com/v9zRa2Shd2
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) July 18, 2024
Hall drew an offensive foul on a pick-and-roll with Alexander, then Trey went out of bounds the next time as Denver’s offense continued to falter, but Hall hit Tyson for an and-one layup. Denver’s rebounding woes continued with their smaller lineups, but Gabe McGlothan grabbed one and put it back in the basket to keep Denver’s lead at nine. Tyson hit his second three-pointer 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. Tyson put the score on his back, though, with free throws and a three-pointer to help Denver get back into double digits. Trey Alexander hit a beautiful curling three-pointer in the final minutes, McLothan hit a three-pointer assisted by Tyson, and the Nuggets ultimately picked up their first win of Summer League 86-71 over the Pacers.
Final Thoughts
If there was a battle for the lead, Jalen Pickett didn’t win it. He started the game with the ball and wasn’t able to do much. Halfway through the first half, the Nuggets were already turning to Alexander to run the offense, and with Pickett only playing a handful of minutes in this game, there’s not much reason to be optimistic. His game isn’t well-suited for Summer League, but the decline from his Summer League and G League outings last year is drastic and obvious. Whatever happens with him, it’s a step backward and not what Denver was hoping to see heading into a season where third-point guard duties are up for grabs. More chances to prove he can show the growth Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson have that will earn them bench minutes are going to be harder to come by.
Trey Alexander isn’t a true point guard, but that could work in his favor. Alexander is a smart player who talks a lot on the court, as evidenced by the footage of him shown on ESPN on multiple occasions, where he called out defensive coverages, warned against screens and talked most possessions. Denver needs active players who are fit and understand their responsibilities, and Trey showed that throughout Summer League. He doesn’t necessarily get players moving, but in coordination with P.J. Hall, they were able to move the ball and get open scorers. Dario Saric will be able to work similarly with Alexander if Trey spends time with the big club this year, and his handling and ability to regularly draw fouls by getting to the rack could also help the bench.
The Nuggets need players who can score baskets and break down the defense to give everyone else an easier chance. That’s the kind of on-ball presence Alexander is showing he can develop. He’ll likely start in the G League once he’s settled into pro ball, but I expect Trey to spend a lot of time in the big leagues even if he doesn’t play, just to get used to how Jokic’s offense works. If he’s now Denver’s de facto third point guard, Denver will need him during the regular season, so I hope he learns quickly.
Hunter Tyson showed his abilities again in this game, but it’s not enough to give him minutes in the NBA. Tyson made 3 of 6 three-pointers in this game and was a +15 on the afternoon, second only to Alexander at +18. He was also aggressive at the basket 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 interfere with three-point shooters due to a lack of wingspan and agility. He can be a field goal shooter without doing much else, but he needs to be a field goal shooter in games and not just in practice for him to have that opportunity. 8 made and 10 missed is his best performance of this Summer League so far, and I hope he can parlay that into more performances by playing his way as training camp and the preseason rolls around. Denver needs more shooting from a backup — it can’t just be Julian Strawther. If Tyson can score baskets, he’ll get on the court, but to stay there, his team’s defense and rebounding ability will need to improve in year two.
