It has been an up-and-down season for the Denver Nuggets so far. Early into the 2024-2025 NBA season, the Nuggets are currently posting a mediocre 9-7 win-loss card. To be frank, a lot of the wins has to do with the reigning three-time NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic. Without him, the Nuggets would probably do a lot worse.
But while Jokic has continued his stellar play, the Nuggets don’t exactly have plenty of help surrounding him. In fact, key players like Jamal Murray and offseason acquisition Russell Westbrook haven’t exactly been the most consistent stars that the Nuggets have needed them to be. That’s not what you want, especially coming off an early playoff exit in the previous season.
Fortunately, Christian Braun has stepped up for the team. Since getting drafted in the first round with the 21st overall pick at the 2022 NBA Draft, Braun has been utilized as a producer off the bench. But with the Nuggets losing some personnel during the offseason, Malone promoted him to the starting lineup.
Although it was a bit of a gamble, Braun has been a revelation for the Nuggets. Moreover, he has been a great fit alongside Denver’s stars, as he tries to continue to thrive in the Nuggets’ starting lineup. As a result, Braun’s fine play has been the Nuggets’ most pleasant surprise early in the 2024-2025 NBA season.
Career-best season so far for Christian Braun
Trusted with a bigger role in the Nuggets’ rotation, Braun has excelled thus far as a starter. In fact, he’s piecing together the best season of his NBA career. In his third year in the league, Braun is averaging career-highs with 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. He’s also tallying 1.3 steals and 0.7 rejections per outing which are also his best numbers.
The Nuggets are probably heaving a sigh of relief with Braun’s breakout year. Without Braun, it’s hard to see the Nuggets faring as well as they are now, especially with Murray’s shooting struggles to go along with Westbrook’s inconsistent play. In fact, Braun is playing like the second-best player in the Nuggets squad, next to the reigning NBA MVP.
With Malone’s guidance and encouragement, it was only about time for Braun to break out of his shell. As the Nuggets try to return to championship contention, Braun’s emergence has been a welcome sight.
Filling the shoes of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
One of the major losses that the Nuggets suffered in the offseason was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a two-time NBA champion who was a crucial piece during the Nuggets’ run back in 2023. His outside shooting and impact defensively at the perimeter were assets that the Nuggets were expected to miss during the ongoing 2024-2025 NBA season. However, with Braun’s emergence, the Nuggets have found an easy replacement.
In lieu of KCP’s departure, it was a no-brainer for Malone to inject Braun into the starting lineup. For his first two seasons in the NBA, Braun was a development project. While his growth process was never a smooth ride all throughout, it’s safe to say that the Nuggets are now reaping the fruits of their patience and investment in Braun.
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Although Braun is by no means a similar player to KCP, he is still making an impact on both ends of the floor. The former isn’t a lights-out shooter but is still knocking down nearly 47% of his shots from beyond the arc which was a testament to his growth. But more importantly, Braun has held his own when tasked to defend elite guards like Anthony Edwards.
Can Christian Braun maintain his efficiency for the entire NBA season?
While Braun is having a dream start to his best season yet, it remains to be seen whether he can keep up his fine play. Braun has been pulling out all the surprises for the Nuggets, including a perfect shooting night against the Los Angeles Lakers. He finished the game with 16 points, on seven out of seven shooting, while making all two of his attempts from Rainbow Country. Braun also added two rebounds and three assists in the Nuggets’ mastery over the Purple and Gold.
However, it won’t be long before other NBA teams finally try to devise some schemes to slow down Braun. In order for Braun to continue making an impact, the Nuggets must also count on Murray to reclaim his shooting touch and for Westbrook to excel in his role off the bench on a nightly basis. Nonetheless, anyone can count on Braun to make the most out of his bigger role with the team.
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