The most terrifying feeling a fluid, athletic, improvisational basketball player can have is feeling confined to a box.
Emmanuel Mudiay had been feeling a little boxed in.
The Nuggets’ rookie point guard was trying to do the right thing but had a high rate of turnovers. That meant dialing the flash back a bit. The turnovers lessened. But along the way, so did some of Mudiay’s aggressiveness.
“I had to tell myself, ‘Play your game,’ ” Mudiay said. “Even though Coach wants the plays to be run, and he told me himself, ‘Go with what the defense gives you,’ I felt like some of those games I was too robotic. That’s how I felt.”
Mudiay’s solution was simple: Get back to being himself.
The result was his best all-around game of the young season Monday night against Portland. His 18 points in the Nuggets’ win were a career high. But his additional contributions — six rebounds, five assists, two blocks and just two turnovers — were just as impressive to Nuggets coach Michael Malone.
“It hasn’t been easy for him, and I’ve been on him,” Malone said. “But (Monday), I thought his growth in that fourth quarter of a close game, making the big plays that he made, not just on offense but also on defense — had the two big blocks.
“He gets to the foul line seven times. He had a complete line. He’s getting it. Obviously, everybody wanted him to get it yesterday, but I keep on reminding everybody he’s 19. I have to remind myself that at times. But I just loved the plays that he made.”
There is no instruction manual to learn how to play point guard in the NBA. You just have to play. Experience is key, and Mudiay is at the dawn of his career. But he acknowledges he’s getting more and more comfortable.
“It’s growing,” Mudiay said. “My confidence level is getting higher and higher.”
Getting into the lane and causing havoc is part of the reason for Mudiay’s uptick in confidence. For the season, he averages 8.1 drives per game and shoots 36.4 percent off those forays to the rim, according to NBA player tracking data. On Monday, he shot 50 percent off his eight drives to the rim and was fouled on a number of other attempts.
“Late in the game, I put the ball in his hands,” Malone said. “It’s a great opportunity for him to grow up. This is a great experience, you can’t duplicate this in practice. … The great thing was he’s not scared. He didn’t shy away from it. He wanted it. Making plays is not just on offense. His defense at times was excellent.”
Mudiay shied away from calling the performance his best so far.
“I’m my hardest critic, so I still feel like I can do some stuff better,” Mudiay said. “I missed two free throws; those two turnovers were dumb turnovers. But at the same time, we won. So that’s the main thing.”
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or @dempseypost
MILWAUKEE AT DENVER 7 p.m Wednesday., ALT; 950 AM
Spotlight on Giannis Antetokounmpo:
Affectionately known as the “Greek Freak,” given his immense length (he is 6-foot-11) and athletic ability. Antetokounmpo entered the NBA with a lot of fanfare as the 15th overall selection in 2013, and now the native of Athens is making good on expectations of greatness. In this, his season year in the league, Antetokounmpo went into the Bucks’ game against Boston on Wednesday night with averages of 19.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
NOTEBOOK
Bucks:
This is the second of a back-to-back set for the Bucks, who played at home Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics. The Bucks are the third consecutive team to come to Denver on the second of a back-to-back set. Utah and Portland were in town after playing the night before. … Point guard Michael Carter-Williams (ankle) and guard O.J. Mayo (hamstring), are not expected to play.
Nuggets:
If the Nuggets choose to go with a big lineup again, expect the starting center to be J.J. Hickson. He has been more than solid, averaging 12.3 points and 7.0 rebounds in his last four games — and even better in the two victories. The averages in those games are 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds. He would get the chance to start again because Joffrey Lauvergne will not play as he continues to rest a persistent lower back strain. … Point guard Jameer Nelson (back) is listed as questionable.
Christopher Dempsey, The Denver Post
