His 25 minutes on Sunday were a perfect example. Even before he compiled a 15-point, 5-for-7 stat line in the second quarter, he did all the little things in a scoreless first. The Nuggets were putting him in a lot of split actions around Nikola Jokic<\/a>, and he was decisive on and off the ball. He drew a foul against Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson while slip-cutting to the rim off his own screen. He curled into several dribble handoffs from Jokic, operating as a steady connector. Eventually, he started firing (and burying) 3s, including one out of a dribble handoff and one pick-and-roll pull-up when the defense sank to Jokic. He was a vocal communicator when initiating a handful of inbound plays, and he tallied a pair of steals at the defensive end, making smart plays on the ball and showing his hands.<\/p>\n Johnson\u2019s involvement in those split actions and his opportunities with the ball will be worth monitoring as the season begins. He was almost never an active liability last year, even when he wasn\u2019t producing, but the Nuggets also didn\u2019t get the most out of his talent early on. This preseason has revealed a more comfortable and dynamic version of Johnson.<\/p>\n Speaking of awkward acclimation processes: DeMar DeRozan\u2019s minutes have not looked seamless in Denver\u2019s first three exhibitions. His 0-for-4 shooting clip against Chicago wasn\u2019t the problem. That\u2019s going to happen sometimes, especially for players who rely on tough shot-making. The more pressing matter is establishing an identity that works when he\u2019s on the court, and for him that means balancing his isolation style and the other forms of offense available to Denver.<\/p>\n He had a couple of impressive playmaking sequences Sunday \u2014 an assist through traffic to Jokic in the paint, a coast-to-coast attack and kick-out to the perimeter that went unrewarded. Other times, the Nuggets struggled to play in a flow when they played through him. They were outscored by 10 points in his nine first-half minutes. Figuring out the best lineups to put around him could be a mission that extends into the season for coach David Adelman, who is content with DeRozan getting shots up because even when he misses, it\u2019s a better outcome than a turnover if the defense can get set.<\/p>\n One variable that didn\u2019t help with chemistry-building Sunday: Marvin Bagley III, whom DeRozan will play with a lot, took the night off. That meant Zeke Nnaji was at backup center when DeRozan wasn\u2019t sharing the court with Jokic.<\/p>\n When everyone is available, one of the key balances for Denver will be the DeRozan offense versus the Tyus Jones-Bagley pick-and-roll \u2014 when to go to each option, how to space the floor around both being an option, etc.<\/p>\n Dress rehearsal vibes<\/p>\n![\"DeMar](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2299250366.jpg\")
DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Denver Nuggets takes a shot against Josh Giddey #3 of the Chicago Bulls during the first quarter in a preseason game at Ball Arena on October 11, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Tyler McFarland\/Getty Images)
\nMaking it work around DeRozan<\/p>\n