The Nuggets had already gone through shootaround Friday morning and installed their plan for the Suns when they got the news.
, who hadn’t even left the in his black vest and winter beanie, was served a one-game suspension for leaving the bench during Wednesday’s altercation
Going up against the worst team in the Western Conference, who beat the Nuggets less than two weeks ago in Phoenix, Nuggets coach Michael Malone called a second shootaround for Friday afternoon.
Malone used the time to pair Jokic’s replacement, , with the rest of the starters. That group also included , who hadn’t started a game since returning from his surgery.
“Yeah, it was kind of weird,” said. “Guys didn’t take that that well.”
Plumlee, who looked like Jokic-lite with a team-high six assists, seven rebounds and 16 points in Friday’s 132-95 rout of the Suns, agreed.
“Not some guys, I don’t think anybody was happy,” quipped Plumlee, who wasn’t even sure the Nuggets needed the extra time to adjust.
“(Malone) can say it was the right move now because we played well,” Plumlee said.
Malone said the NBA apologized for the fact that they didn’t get the news to the Nuggets until after shootaround. He also appreciated their transparency even if he didn’t agree with the ultimate decision.
“Would you have loved to have a shootaround where you know exactly who’s in and who’s out?” Malone said. “Sure. That wasn’t the case. I think it speaks to our players’ resolve.”
As for the second shootaround that preceded Saturday’s game against Philadelphia?
“Whatever it takes for a win,” Malone said.
Plumlee was instrumental in dismantling the Suns, both as a cog on the glass (the Nuggets outrebounded Phoenix 57-35) and in the open court. More than once Plumlee snatched defensive rebounds and immediately turned up court with the ball like Jokic typically does.
“As much as we love Nikola, Nikola not being here tonight, Mason was more than capable of taking those minutes and playing like Nikola,” Malone said. “Mason impacted the game in every aspect. Thatap what we expect from Nikola every single night. Mason is a hell of a player for us, starting or coming off the bench.”
Plumlee was one of eight Nuggets players in double figures. More important, no one played more than 26 minutes in the blowout.
Vanderbilt debut
The margin got so big that Malone was able to grant 2018 second-round pick his NBA debut. Vanderbilt battled foot and ankle issues at Kentucky and hadn’t played for nearly a year. He said Friday’s game was the first five-on-five since then.
“I had a couple jitters,” Vanderbilt said. “It was just amazing just to get back out there and start playing again.”
The plan is for the lanky forward to get most of his reps in the G League, but Malone was serious when he said he could be valuable Saturday against 76ers point-forward Ben Simmons. Vanderbilt made a significant impact in his short debut.
“For him to get over that fear, to go out there and have three, four impactful minutes,” Malone said.
“That pass he made (to ) was an incredible pass, and I think he shows you in 3:53… he gets you three rebounds. He’s a rebounding machine.”
