Jokic: Nuggets ‘definitely need’ deeper bench

Nikola Jokic believes the Denver Nuggets’ lack of bench options was a factor in their playoff push falling short.

“Yes, we definitely need (more depth),” the Nuggets star said after Sunday’s Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. “I think we’ve played so long in such a way it’s hard for the guys to step up, especially in the playoffs, especially against two really good teams, the (Los Angeles) Clippers and OKC.

“We cannot ask somebody who didn’t play maybe 20, 30 games to jump in and expect them to be good. … But it definitely seems like the teams that have longer rotations, a longer bench, are the ones who are winning: Indiana, OKC, Minnesota.”

Denver had one of the most seldom used reserve units in the postseason, with the bench averaging just 11 minutes per game through two rounds. The New York Knicks (10.1 minutes) are the only playoff team to deploy their reserves less frequently. The Thunder, meanwhile, rank third in the postseason with 17.6 bench minutes per game and the Pacers are sixth at 16.6.

Oklahoma City also boasts the postseason’s most impactful bench with a 13.5 net rating. The Nuggets bench’s minus-5.5 net rating ranks 11th of the 16 teams that made the playoffs this season. None of the four conference finalists’ benches have a negative net rating.

Denver’s thinner depth was also evident throughout the regular season. For a second consecutive year, the Nuggets ranked 22nd in the league in bench net rating, but their minus-2.2 mark was a drop from the minus-1.5 posted in 2023-24.

The coming offseason could provide the Nuggets with an opportunity to overhaul their secondary unit. Both Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric will have to decide on relatively inexpensive player options for 2025-26. Center DeAndre Jordan and forward Vlatko Cancar, the team’s least used players in the postseason, will be unrestricted free agents.

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