Most of the time, I try to come up with some sort of through-line for my listicles, something the discussed players have in common that I can use as a sturdy framework for my article. That’s the writerly thing to do.
But sometimes, I just want to talk about Some Guys. This is one of those times.
Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets
Christian Braun had an interesting case to be my most improved player of the quarter. After a strong start to the season, he fell off in the early winter. From January on, however, he looked like a player reborn, averaging 16.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and a steal.
Not coincidentally, the Nuggets have gone 23-9 over that stretch.
Braun is a somewhat unusual player. He’s big for a two-guard at 6’6”, giving him more positional flexibility than your average shooting bear, and he’s most well-known for his defense. He covers the other team’s best guard, and while he isn’t quite the screen navigator that his predecessor Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was, he compensates with physicality. Watch him lock down Luka Doncic for nearly a full 24-second possession with not one, not two, but three deflections:
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On offense, Braun isn’t quite a non-shooter: he’s averaged 38% from deep in each of his last two seasons. But defenses treat him like he has leprosy, because Braun is reluctant to shoot unless he’s in rhythm and wide-open.
Luckily for Braun, he plays with someone who can mitigate shooting weakness better than any player alive — Nikola Jokic. Jokic’s unbelievable vision (he had the NBA's first-ever 30-20-20 game last night!) finds passing lanes even point guards would need an Aurascope to see.
Braun is a clever cutter with underrated athleticism. Despite his unassuming appearance, Braun has a hidden mean streak and spring-loaded heels. Get in his way at your own peril:
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As mesmerizing a passer as Jokic is, even he can’t pass guys open if nobody moves. Braun never stops. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Jokic/Braun combo is one of the deadliest in the league (and gets even more venomous without Jamal Murray).
As good as Braun is off the ball, his fit with the Nuggets’ other players is a little less clean. Denver’s shooting-starved roster puts so much on the meaty, sweaty shoulders of Jokic. Aaron Gordon, Braun, Russell Westbrook, and (to a lesser extent) Peyton Watson will have to prove in the playoffs that they can give Jokic an oxygen tank when he’s drowning in double-teams.
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