Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room:
NBA Insider
The midway point of the NBA season is here.
The Nuggets play their 41st game of the season Wednesday in Dallas. Every other team will reach the milestone at some point this week or next. Here is The Denver Gazette’s hypothetical awards ballot at the midway point:
Most Valuable Player
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
This is a one-man race as long as Nikola Jokic doesn’t hit the 65-game threshold and “SGA” stays healthy. The numbers are slightly down across the board for Oklahoma City’s superstar, but he’s still averaging an efficient 31.9 points, 6.4 assists, 4.5 assists and 1.4 steals for the best team in the league. Gilgeous-Alexander has played in 38 of Oklahoma City’s first 40 games. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham is our runner up with Lakers guard Luka Doncic coming in third.
Defensive Player of the Year
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
Health cost Wembanyama the award last year and is threatening to do the same this year. He’s played in 25 of San Antonio’s 39 games with nine of those appearances coming off the bench, as he’s battled calf and knee injuries. If he can stay on the court and continue to play more minutes, he’s going to build on his averages of 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and one steal per game. San Antonio’s defense, currently with the third-best defensive rating, will also continue to improve. That will be enough to create separation from Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren and Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert in an award race that’s typically dominated by big men.
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) shoots over San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Rookie of the Year
Cooper Flagg, Mavericks
The no-brainer No. 1 pick from last year’s draft didn’t exactly look the part to start the season, but he’s hitting his stride now. Flagg averaged 23.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists last month, including an eye-opening 33-point, nine-rebound, nine-assist performance in a win over the Nuggets. Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe gets our second spot for his production on a team that’s trending toward the playoffs, while Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel and Pelicans center Derik Queen are in a battle for third.
Most Improved Player
Jalen Johnson, Hawks
This is a two-man race between Johnson and Portland’s Deni Avdija. Avdija’s case is stronger on a pure numbers perspective, as his points per game have jumped from 16.9 to 26.1, but his scoring efficiency has dropped. Johnson’s leap — 18.9 points per game to 23.7 — is smaller by comparison, but the efficiency has improved, including a nearly six percentage point improvement from 3-point range. He’s also averaging 10.3 rebounds and 8.2 assists. Johnson’s numbers will continue to improve with more opportunity after the Trae Young trade. Utah’s Keyonte George narrowly edges out Brooklyn’s Michael Porter Jr. for our final spot.
Sixth Man of the Year
Jaime Jaquez Jr., Heat
The 24-year-old is putting together the most impactful season of any reserve. Not only is he averaging 15.9 points on 53% shooting from the field; he’s also grabbing 5.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists. Minnesota’s Naz Reid is Jaquez’s biggest competition, but Reid’s 6.3 rebounds are the only major statical category where he edges out Jaquez. Orlando’s Anthony Black gets our third spot.
Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. pushes down the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Clutch Player
Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging a league-leading 7.9 points in clutch games, which the NBA defines as any game within five points in the final 5 minutes. The Thunder are 11-4 in such games. Jokic is averaging 6.2 points in such circumstances, but Denver’s just 5-8 in clutch games. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards gets our second spot for shooting 70.7% in the clutch with Cunningham coming in third.
Coach of the Year
Jordan Ott, Suns
If Phoenix can hold onto a top-six spot in the Western Conference, the award should be Ott’s. Things didn’t start well for the first-year head coach, as the Suns started 1-4, but they’re 8-2 in their last 10 to climb into the playoff picture. Cleveland’s relative struggles without Ott as an assistant also help his case. San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson and Detroit’s JB Bickerstaff, the favorite to win the award at the midway point, come in second and third, respectively.
Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott shouts instructions to his players during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Executive of the Year
Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace, Nuggets
Denver’s new executives inherited a sticky salary situation but created some flexibility by trading Michael Porter Jr. and a first-round pick to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson. That trade hasn’t aged terribly well thanks to some early inconsistency from Johnon and a more recent injury, but Tenzer and Wallace used that flexibility to swap Dario Saric for Jonas Valanciunas. The addition of Tim Hardaway Jr. on a veteran minimum contract has been one of the more valuable offseason signings. Atlanta’s Onsi Saleh should also get some recognition after trading down in the draft to acquire what will almost certainly be the Pelicans’ first-round pick this season, which is on pace to be a top pick, and signing Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
What I’m Thinking
It wasn’t an easy call, but the Nuggets and Christian Braun made the right one to press pause on his comeback.
The 24-year-old missed nearly two months with an ankle sprain and didn’t look like himself in the three games he played after returning before he was held out of Sunday’s win over the Bucks. He also won’t play against New Orleans on Tuesday, the first night of a back-to-back set that includes Wednesday’s game in Dallas.
“He was really uncomfortable last game,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said Sunday. “He came in today with the intent to play, went through his warmup, and we had an honest conversation about it. It just didn’t make sense.”
Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) and Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Braun totaled eight points on 3 for 14 shooting against the Nets, Celtics and Hawks before the decision was made to hold him out of the win over the Bucks. Denver’s headed to New Orleans with Nikola Jokic, Cam Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas also ruled out. Jamal Murray, who missed a second consecutive game Sunday, is questionable. Aaron Gordon and Spencer Jones are probable to play against the Pelicans.
“We have to revisit this stuff every day,” Adelman said. “This is going to be a process for all these guys.”
What They’re Saying
Peyton Watson shared a message on X after winning his first Western Conference player of the week award by averaging 24.5 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals while shooting 50% from the field and 70% on 3-pointers as the shorthanded Nuggets went 3-1 last week.
“Pressure is a privilege,” Watson posted in all caps.
Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) drives past Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Nuggets coach admitted to blowing past the number of minutes he hoped to play Aaron Gordon on Sunday. He thought Doc Rivers did the same with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“I followed suit,” Adelman said. “Doc’s going to be in the Hall of Fame someday, so I figured if he can break the minute-restriction rules, I can, too.”
What I’m Following
Kings guard Dennis Schroder was suspended for three games after attempting to hit Luka Doncic following the teams’ game on Dec. 28. A courtside microphone picked up Doncic telling Schroder he should’ve accepted an $82 million contract from the Lakers years ago. Schroder bet on himself and settled for a much lesser contract.
The Bulls and Heat will have to play four games in five nights after condensation forced their game in Chicago last week to be postponed. The two teams will play against each other three consecutive times.
Celtics wing Jaylen Brown was fined $35,000 for criticizing the officials after Boston’s loss to San Antonio on Saturday.
Gobert will miss Minnesota’s game against in Milwaukee on Tuesday after accumulating his sixth flagrant foul point of the season.