Image credit: ClutchPoints

Nuggets’ Christian Braun gets 100% real on being benched for Aaron Gordon

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Troy Finnegan | Last updated Jan 30, 2025 1:49 AM ET

The Denver Nuggets are searching for answers at this point in the season, as they are on one of their worst skids of the year. After it seemed like Michael Malone and company were clicking after Aaron Gordon returned from his calf injury, the Nuggets have now lost three games in a row after a 122-112 defeat at the hands of the New York Knicks on Wednesday night in the Big Apple.

For Wednesday’s game, Malone made a massive change to the starting lineup. He inserted Gordon back into the starting five as he comes off of his minutes restriction and moved Christian Braun to the bench for the first time this season. After the game, Braun talked about wanting to get that starting spot back, via Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.

“Obviously I took a lot of pride in having that spot, trying to win that spot,” Braun said, per Durando. “And I’m gonna work to try to get it back. That’s my job. … But whether I’m coming off the bench or starting I’m very grateful for every opportunity that I get.”

Braun started next to Gordon earlier in the season, but Russell Westbrook has been playing some very good basketball since being inserted into the starting five when Gordon got hurt. As a result, it makes sense that Malone would want to keep Westbrook in the lineup due to his great chemistry with Nikola Jokic.

Michael Malone has difficult decision in Nuggets’ starting lineup

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone coaches against the New York Knicks during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Due to Aaron Gordon’s calf injury this season, the Nuggets have arrived at a place where they have six players who are worthy of starting on a team that is trying to snap out of a slump.

Christian Braun amps up the pace of play for the Nuggets and is one of their best perimeter defenders. Russell Westbrook is an elite cutter and passer, and he and Nikola Jokic play extremely well together. Gordon gives the Nuggets some more size and physicality on the inside while being one of their more versatile offensive players as a screener, cutter, finisher and someone who can attack mismatches.

When Gordon came back from his injury, Malone had him coming off the bench as he played through his minutes restriction. Now, it is Braun who has gone to the bench. That formula didn’t pay off with a win against the Knicks, although that can be attributed to foul trouble on Jokic more than anything. Gordon played 30 minutes and scored 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting while Braun played 29 minutes and scored 13 points, so there wasn’t a huge difference in playing time. Westbrook played 37 minutes in the loss, so he seems to be in Malone’s good graces at the moment.

Expect Malone to ride with this version of the lineup for at least a few games to see if it can start clicking. If it doesn’t, he could go back to tinkering with the starting five again very soon.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: