CLEVELAND – Reggie Jackson admitted he didn’t know what he was looking for among his new teammates when he debuted Thursday night against the Cavs.
“Like a new kid in school,” Jackson said with a grin. “It’s been fun.”
The Nuggets have thrown the book at Jackson, who signed with Denver after reaching a buyout with Charlotte. In Jackson, the Nuggets saw a veteran, experienced scorer who understood his role when he opted to return home to Colorado. In the Nuggets, Jackson saw an opportunity to win big.
“You have a point guard,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. “… He’s big, he’s strong, he’s physical.”
Perhaps most importantly, Jackson’s about the right things.
“It’s all about the team,” Malone said.
If Jackson’s able to stabilize Denver’s second unit, it would address perhaps their most glaring weakness over the final 22 games. Jackson debuted with seven points, four rebounds and two assists but didn’t feel he ever got into a flow with Denver’s bench. Jeff Green saw his concern and reassured Jackson where he’d be able to find his spots. It was quintessential Green, a veteran sharing his perspective for the greater good of the team.
It’s also an example of why this group – Jackson, Green, Bruce Brown, Christian Braun and Thomas Bryant – can work. Between Green’s wisdom, Brown’s polished demeanor and the effort both Braun and Bryant bring, there’s a professional ethos about this group that provides the Nuggets real depth heading into the postseason. At the trade deadline, the Nuggets burnished a championship-level core with significant auxiliary pieces in Jackson and Bryant. The former’s impact can be felt in both his breakdown ability and playmaking, while the latter should finally provide a reliable backup center.
Jackson played with Brown during their time in Detroit and tapped into that chemistry on a fastbreak lob a few minutes into the fourth quarter.
If Jackson hadn’t already ingratiated himself to the Nuggets with his eagerness to learn and his veteran poise, then his 60-foot 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter did the trick.
“I’m just happy to get something to go in,” Jackson joked.
With everything the Nuggets tried to teach Jackson over the All-Star break, Malone said he could commiserate with him. There were new teammates to learn and new terminologies to incorporate. In addition, there was the added pressure that he was joining the No. 1 seed in the West, which already had a working infrastructure of talent.
“’Hey man, I don’t want to screw this thing up,’” Malone said, trying to put himself in Jackson’s shoes.
Jackson admitted there was something to that even if he wasn’t fazed by the challenge.
“You just want to play well,” he said. “They brought me here for a reason. Part of me is like, ‘I don’t want to mess it up. Let’s keep it rolling.’”
By the end of the night in Cleveland, Jackson was smiling ear-to-ear in the visitor’s locker room. He already had established relationships with Brown, Ish Smith and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and seemed at ease in his new environment. Before he left, he emphasized the message reinforced to him by the coaching staff and his new teammates.
“Just go play,” he said.
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