Author: Vinny Benedetto
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Nuggets vs. Kings | 3 takeaways from Denver’s decisive win in Sacramento
Big nights from Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Jonas Valanciunas brought the Nuggets’ win streak to five. Here are three takeaways from Denver’s 122-108 win on Tuesday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. NUGGETS 122, KINGS 108 What happened: Sacramento led by one point after the first quarter, but Denver took a 60-56…
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Bruce Brown still adjusting to return with Denver Nuggets: ‘I was tired as (expletive)’ | NBA Insider
Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room: NBA Insider The outfits, outlook and energy remain the same, but Bruce Brown’s still acclimating in his return to Denver. “Damn, I was tired as (crap). I should’ve never yelled. I took all my energy out, and I…
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Leveling up: How Nikola Jokic manages to get better and better year after year
A tweak or two on each end has helped make the seemingly impossible plausible. Whether it’s more zone defense and different pick-and-roll coverage on defense or increased 3-point attempts and more time spent operating at the elbow on offense, Nikola Jokic has managed to elevate his game to another level to start his 11th season…
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Jamal Murray’s bullseye helps Denver Nuggets blast Golden State
It was one of those nights where a quick prayer to the basketball gods was the best defense against Jamal Murray. Already an established playoff riser, the Blue Arrow took aim against the Warriors in Denver’s 129-104 NBA Cup win on Friday at Ball Arena. “There’s a lot of money on the line,” Murray said.…
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Tim Hardaway Jr. making real impact to start stint with Denver Nuggets
There wasn’t much faking it before Tim Hardaway Jr. started making it. After going 6 for 24 (25%) from 3-point range in Denver’s five preseason games, Hardaway looked comfortable and confident as soon as the results started to matter. “Tim cares, and he wants to win. He wants to be good,” Nikola Jokic answered a…
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David Adelman, Denver Nuggets draw first blood against family friend Erik Spoelstra’s Heat
The days of David Adelman tagging along are long gone. “I went to college with Kathy. She’s been a phenomenal high school girls coach for many years in Portland,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Adelman’s older sister prior to Wednesday’s game against the Nuggets at Ball Arena. “I was really close with RJ. Then,…
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Russell Westbrook brings expected energy, honesty back to Denver
Knowing what’s coming and stopping what’s coming are two different things. The Nuggets knew what kind of energy Russell Westbrook was bringing to Ball Arena in his return as a member of the Kings on Monday night. “Russ,” Nuggets coach David Adelman answered when asked what he expected from Westbrook prior to Denver’s win. “He…
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Nikola Jokic’s hands all over Denver Nuggets’ win over Kings
The Joker made the Kings pay for shuffling the deck this summer. After Sacramento traded Jonas Valanciunas to Denver for Dario Saric, the Kings were left without a body built to bang with Denver’s 6-foot-11, 284-pound jack of all basketball trades. It showed in Denver’s 130-124 win Monday at Ball Arena, though he didn’t enter…
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5 things learned from Denver Nuggets’ first 5 games | NBA Insider
Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room: NBA Insider A defensive lapse in the season-opener and a couple of questionable calls Friday are the only things preventing the Nuggets from a perfect 5-0 start to the season. Instead, a Stephen Curry 3 forced overtime, and…
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Friday Faceoff: Who is Denver Nuggets’ X-Factor
Mark Kiszla, sports columnist: Peyton Watson Well, that escalated quickly. Only a week into this NBA season, a new serious challenger has emerged to Nikola Jokic’s MVP quest and the Nuggets’ standing as the primary threat to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference. We all strongly suspected Victor Wembanyama was going to grow into a…