An enjoyable but complex adaptation by Cam Johnson

On paper, we talked about it in review devoted to Denverarrival Cam Johnson in the major five the Nuggets looks like a damn good choice. With his movement skills, his shooting and his intelligence, the former Suns seem to fit the mold perfectly. Even if a period of adaptation, when you change teams and cities, will be necessary.

“When you go somewhere else, it’s like starting from scratch, and there can be some frustration. You have to get to know the people, the city, the franchise. I feel like I’m at my best when I’m in a rhythm, in my comfort.”, the winger announces.

Patience therefore, even if David Adelman said at the end of the preseason that he was his recruit “Exactly as we imagined”and gives “Another dimension of our attack”. Which is nothing when we know it everything is organized around Nikola Jokićas well as Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, which is also a challenge.

“Offensively, these three are masters. We don’t come like that when everything comes together and everything is intertwined.”warns his coach. “You have to read a lot, you have to have a lot of reactions with a man who is perhaps the best pivot in the history of this area. Everything is done in a second.”

“These guys have such intelligence, almost too much”

So while you might think that playing next to a passer like the three-time MVP, and in a well-oiled offense like Denver’s, is pretty straightforward, that’s not entirely the case. The orchestra plays well, so if we get there, we have to play in tune, otherwise we hear the wrong notes.

“These guys have such intelligence, almost too much. I need to communicate even more to know what we are doing. It’s obvious they’ve been playing together for a long time. I know it will come,” analyzes Cam Johnson. “He’s doing well, he’s not forcing anything” notes Aaron Gordon. “He’s such a good player that he just has to be himself and it will work. He’s very, very intelligent.”

Obviously, it is more comfortable to move in attack around Nikola Jokic and his great passes. But the pressure is on for a player like Cam Johnson, who has always displayed a subdued, even shy style, we won’t have to back down too much.

“There’s a fine line between conforming, which is what he’s trying to do, and being himself.”played by David Adelman. “Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray are like that: They practice our style, with cuts, moves, screens, but they also have their own style with their one-on-one qualities. And that’s good because they’re talented. Cam will come to that when he has more experience with them.”

How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / 3 points in an attempt; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.