Denver, CO

Grading The Week: Christian Braun, Peyton Watson proving Nuggets’ kids are all right after all

Published

1 year ago

November 9, 2024

Grading The Week: Christian Braun, Peyton Watson proving Nuggets’ kids are all right after all

No one’s ever asked the kids up in the Grading The Week offices to help them with their taxes, but those wise apples sure know how to work a calculator. When it comes to the Nuggets, we were stoked to see Calvin Booth’s roster math start to finally add up.

From Nov. 3-8, despite losing franchise cornerstones Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon to injuries, Denver went 3-0. Yeah, Nikola Jokic carried the flag, the way only a generational MVP can, with 27 points, 15 rebounds and 14.3 assists per game. Michael Porter Jr. averaged 21.3 points, 4.7 3-pointers and 7.0 boards.

But you know what else happened? The Nuggets got almost as many non-Joker points in those three games from players 25 and younger (146) as they did from those 26 and older (153).

Nuggets’ electric youth movement — A-

Holy smokes, Calvin’s kids can play! And play well!

Off-guard Christian Braun picked up the baton for both Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in one swing, averaging 20.7 points, 2.7 treys and 6.0 rebounds. Julian Strawther averaged 9.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Swingman Peyton Watson stepped it up, averaging 14.0 points, 4.7 boards, 2.0 blocks and 1.3 steals.

And Watson provided perhaps the most emphatic (and symbolic) moment of a great week for the Nuggets’ youth movement when on Wednesday night he rallied from two missed free throws to swat away a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shot to salvage a 124-122 victory.

Look, nobody on the GTW crew is thrilled at the idea of the Nuggets missing Gordon for an extended stretch. But if it forces coach Michael Malone to trot out the young guns who’ve become part of his roster’s core, it might turn into a blessing in disguise. Especially given that Malone doesn’t really have much of a choice.

Tad Boyle lands his 300th at CU — A

Sure, it took longer than anybody hoped. And yes, it had a bunch of uncomfortable … er, teaching moments. But a tip of the cap for the umpteenth time to CU men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle for picking up his 300th career victory with the Buffs on Friday night.

Poetically, it came in double OT against scrappy UNC, a program where Boyle cut his teeth as a head coach for four seasons before joining the Buffs for the 2010-11 campaign.

Since #RollTad settled in BoCo, the CU men have won 20 or more games 10 times; reached the NCAA tourney six times (COVID-19 kept them from a seventh); and finished fourth or better in their respective conference race four different times, including last season, when the Buffs were third in the final year of the “old” Pac-12.

Context: From 1960-2010, in the 50 years before Tad arrived, CU had been selected for five berths in the Big Dance — an average of once per decade.

Team GTW brings this up because as good as the new-look Big 12 — no blue bloods, no Oregons, USCs or Washingtons — has been for Deion Sanders and Buffs football, it could prove fairly harsh on Boyle and his rebuilding roster in 2024-25. The Big 12 isn’t a great football league. On paper, it’s setting up to be a beast of a basketball league.

Best show patience with young Buffs who’ll have to learn on the fly while traveling to hoops hornets nests such as Stillwater (Jan. 18), Tucson (Jan. 21), Lawrence (Feb. 11), Ames (Feb. 18) and Lubbock (March 5) this winter. Friday night confirmed that CU’s got a long, long way to go. Boyle’s resume should assure you they’ll get there. Eventually.

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Denver, CO

Denver area events for March 5

Published

8 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

If you have an event taking place in the Denver area, email information to carlotta.olson@gazette.com at least two weeks in advance. All events are listed in the calendar on space availability. Thursday Camilla Vaitaitis Quartet — 6:30 p.m., Dazzle at Baur’s, 1080 14th St., Denver, go online for prices. Tickets: dazzledenver.com/#/events. Miguel — 7 p.m., Fillmore Auditorium, […]

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Denver, CO

Report: Broncos expected to ‘make a splash’ at running back

Published

20 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Report: Broncos expected to ‘make a splash’ at running back

The Denver Broncos are in the market for a running back.

Just two days after NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Denver wants to have the running back position addressed before the draft, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported that the Broncos are “poised to make a splash” at running back during NFL free agency.

“Denver is the reason why the Jets used the franchise tag on Breece Hall rather than the transition tag, according to sources, making sure Denver wouldn’t get the opportunity to put together an offer the Jets would refuse to match,” Jones wrote for CBS Sports.

Jones said the Broncos would be an obvious potential landing spot for Kenneth Walker, and he noted that Travis Etienne could be a cheaper alternative. The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider also reported this week that Denver is expected to “closely examine” the RB market, and he name-dropped Walker, Etienne and Rico Dowdle.

The Broncos also have an in-house free agent at RB in J.K. Dobbins, who has expressed his desire to remain in Denver. The Broncos can begin negotiating with pending free agents from other clubs on March 9, but no deals can become official until the new league year begins on March 11. In-house free agents can be re-signed at any time.

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Denver, CO

Grand Junction, Palisade reach Great Eight in Denver

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Grand Junction, Palisade reach Great Eight in Denver

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The Class 5A Sweet 16 has arrived, and both Grand Junction and Palisade are still standing with trips to the Great Eight in Denver on the line.

At The Jungle, the No. 2 seed Grand Junction Tigers set the tone early against No. 18 Golden. Defense carried the Tigers from the opening tip as they held the Demons to nine first quarter points while scoring 16 of their own.

Grand Junction added eight points in the second quarter while Golden managed six, sending the Tigers into halftime with a nine point lead.

Golden responded in the third quarter, outscoring Grand Junction 16 to 11 to cut the deficit to five entering the fourth. The Tigers answered in the final period, attacking the rim and converting key shots to win the quarter 19 to 10. Grand Junction secured a 54 to 41 victory to protect its home court and advance to the Great Eight in Denver.

Top seeded Palisade also defended its home floor with a trip to Denver at stake. The Bulldogs opened with nine straight points to energize a packed gym, but Frederick settled in and closed the first quarter on a run to tie the game at nine.

Frederick continued to respond in the second quarter and took an eight point lead into halftime.

Palisade shifted momentum after the break. The Bulldogs tightened defensively, holding Frederick to 21 points in the second half while scoring 39 of their own. Palisade completed the comeback to advance to the Great Eight.

Colorado Mesa University Women Deliver Historic RMAC Tournament Win

In collegiate action, the top seeded Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball team defeated Colorado School of Mines 96 to 51 in the RMAC Tournament, marking the largest margin of victory in the tournament this century.

Olivia Reed-Thyne led the Mavericks with 34 points on 11 of 15 shooting, her third 30 point performance this season. Mason Rowland added 22 points and Hallie Clark contributed 10 as Colorado Mesa matched a program record with its 31st win. The Mavericks will host the semifinals Friday with a berth in the championship game at stake.

Colorado Mesa University Men Survive Overtime Thriller

The Colorado Mesa University men’s basketball team faced New Mexico Highlands University for the third time this season. The Mavericks scored 36 first half points and led by four at the break.

New Mexico Highlands shot 50 percent in the second half, received 21 bench points and outscored Colorado Mesa 43 to 39 to force a late push. With the season in the balance, Ty Allred hit a game tying 3 pointer to make it 75 and send the game to overtime. Allred scored seven points in the extra period as Colorado Mesa earned a 91 to 90 victory to advance to the next round.

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