Denver, CO

Nuggets Journal: Will Russell Westbrook stay in starting lineup when Denver is healthy?

Published

11 months ago

January 17, 2025

Nuggets Journal: Will Russell Westbrook stay in starting lineup when Denver is healthy?

As Aaron Gordon’s calf heals, Michael Malone faces what can only be described as a good problem.

The Nuggets have been steadily trending in the right direction, even while dealing with a variety of injuries to starters, most notably Gordon. During the most recent nine-game stretch that he spent on the sideline, Malone went small with his starting lineup, opting to start Russell Westbrook instead of Peyton Watson and repurposing Michael Porter Jr. as a power forward.

The results have been successful enough to raise the question of whether Westbrook should remain in the starting lineup with Denver at full strength.

“We’ll jump off that bridge when we get to it,” Malone said this week in Dallas. “We’re gonna take a really cautious approach with Aaron Gordon. … Everything’s on the table. We’re gonna do whatever’s best for our team.”

Gordon is currently on a tight minutes restriction, which allows Malone to bring him off the bench and delay any lineup decisions. But the fact that Malone has not ruled out the possibility of a change to the starting five is, of course, an indication that he’s considering it.

It’s a problem because none of Denver’s five regular starters have done anything to warrant what risks coming across as a demotion. It’s a good problem because having more than five players worthy of starting is ultimately a refreshing situation for a team facing broader concerns about its depth.

So how should Malone navigate this? First, someone has to be identified as the most sensible player for Westbrook to replace. Jamal Murray is firmly off the table. His efficiency as a secondary scorer has improved throughout the season, and even if that wasn’t the case, he has meant too much to the franchise to consider benching. Michael Porter Jr. should be off the table as well. He has been far too good, and his floor spacing is far too essential.

There’s more of an argument that can be made for Gordon coming off the bench permanently — he’s versatile and selfless enough to be effective in any lineup, and Denver’s starters excelled while he was out. But again, overall cache within the organization should be taken into account. Gordon, Porter, Murray and Nikola Jokic make up the “core four” responsible for a championship.

That leaves Christian Braun, a third-year player and first-year starter who often operates as Denver’s lead defensive guard — a role Westbrook also occupies occasionally.

Malone has consistently praised the 23-year-old Braun throughout his transition into the starting five, where he’s replacing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. At the 40-game mark. the Nuggets’ status-quo lineup — the core four plus Braun — had a 5.1 net rating in 220 minutes of playing time.

When it’s the core four plus Westbrook, Denver’s net rating is 16.9, albeit in a much smaller sample size of 48 minutes.

Crucially, Jokic looms over all analytics. He is the constant variable. When he is on the floor, the net rating is always going to be in the black, almost regardless of how Malone builds the lineup around him.

Jokic’s rest minutes are more fraught with danger. Malone described them earlier this season as “man’s search for meaning.”

So which player is better equipped to handle minutes without the MVP?

When Braun and Jokic are on the floor together and Westbrook is off (499 minutes), the Nuggets have a 10.6 net rating. Westbrook on the court, without Jokic and Braun, is a minus-13.9 (233 minutes).

Now flip it around: When Westbrook and Jokic are on the floor and Braun is off (217 minutes), the Nuggets have a 6.1 net rating. Braun, without Jokic and Westbrook, is a plus 4.4 (144 minutes).

Those numbers illuminate the nuance of the situation. Both players benefit from playing alongside Jokic, but Westbrook lineups in particular have thrived with Jokic and struggled without. Westbrook’s greatest strength in Denver has been his chemistry with the center. When Jokic has the ball, Russ looks to cut. When Russ has the ball, he looks to feed Jokic. They’re the No. 3 assist duo in the NBA, and they’ve played 100 fewer minutes together than the top two combos.

Regardless of whether Westbrook is starting or coming off the bench, then, Malone will want to keep maximizing the veteran point guard’s minutes with Jokic.

But there’s a delicate balance between optimizing that combo and empowering Braun, who represents the long-term future of the Jokic-era Nuggets. Entering the starting lineup has been a key stage in his development, allowing him to play through shooting slumps; prosper as a top-three fast-break scorer in the league; and learn from his increased defensive reps against star guards and forwards.

There’s also a spacing dynamic to consider once Gordon is back in the starting lineup. He’s 42% from the 3-point line, which has been a massive boost for Denver’s short-on-shooting roster, but opponents may still feel inclined to sag off Gordon when he plays on the perimeter. The NBA is and always will be a reputation-based league. And Westbrook’s infamous reputation as a 3-point shooter has been etched in scouting reports for years. Teams will always dare him to fire away.

Like Gordon, Westbrook deserves credit. He’s making 33% of his 3s in Denver, his highest clip since the 2016-17 MVP season. But with him and Gordon on the floor together, the Nuggets are still asking for a clogged interior.

When Jokic, Gordon and Westbrook are on the court and Braun is off, their net rating is minus-6.4 (74 minutes). Most of that damage is done when one of Murray or Porter is also on the bench, accentuating the need for two shooters to be on the floor with that three-man lineup.

Braun is still trying to establish his own reputation as a 3-point threat. But when he, Jokic and Gordon are on the floor and Westbrook is off, the team’s net rating is 5.9 (265 minutes). The defensive metrics are almost identical between those lineup variations; the offensive gap is 11 points per 100 possessions.

You could keep going down the rabbit hole of combinations from there. The layers to a decision like this are endless, and it’s possible there is no wrong answer — only pros and cons for Malone and his staff to weigh.

“We’ll evaluate as a staff when we are fully healthy what lineup gives us the best chance to go out there and win games at a high level,” he said. “I like how we’re playing right now. Our defense is much improved. Our 3-point defense is much improved. But whether we continue to bring Russ off the bench when we’re healthy or he starts, those are conversations that we’ll continue to have internally.”

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Originally Published: January 17, 2025 at 10:33 AM MST

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Denver, CO

Where To Get Chinese Food In And around Denver On Christmas Day – 303 Magazine

Published

11 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Where To Get Chinese Food In And around Denver On Christmas Day – 303 Magazine

Chinese food became popular on Christmas Day primarily because Chinese restaurants were among the few businesses open, offering a convenient, affordable, and culturally neutral dining option.

Several excellent Chinese restaurants in the Denver area that will be open on Christmas Day, continuing a holiday tradition. Many of these locations offer both dine-in and takeout options.

We recommend calling ahead to confirm their holiday hours and placing any takeout orders in advance, as availability may change.

We hope this list of our favorite Chinese restaurants is helpful!

Central Denver

Peter’s Chinese Cafe

A local Chinese-American favorite since 1985, famous for its sesame chicken and loyal clientele

Directions: 2609 E 12th Ave

Great Wall Chinese Restaurant

Offering takeout and delivery from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
You can order online at cogreatwalltogo.com.

Directions: 440 E Colfax Ave

Pepper Asian Bistro

This spot has locations in City Park and the Lower Highlands, providing a mix of Chinese and Thai options for dine-in or takeout.

Directions: 2831 E Colfax Ave

Chinatown Bistro

A cozy uptown option located at 1789 Ogden St., serving classic dishes like sesame chicken and Mongolian beef with easy takeout/delivery options.

Directions: 1789 Ogden St

Little Ollie’s

Open for dine-in, takeout, and delivery from 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Christmas Day.
Order online at littleollies.com.

Directions: 2360 E 3rd Ave

South & West Denver/Englewood

Golden Shanghai Restaurant(USHI)

A beloved establishment open from noon to 9 p.m., offering Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese fare.
Order online at goldenshanghai-denver.com.

Directions: 1412 S Parker Rd

Star Kitchen

A large Chinese fixture known for its dim sum and seafood dishes.

Directions: 2917 W Mississippi

Bistro King Asian Restaurant

This family-owned restaurant in Englewood is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Order online via their website bistrokingonline.com.

Directions: 3542 S Fox St

Chopstix Fusion

A highly-praised, small Denver-area restaurant known for authentic Hong Kong-style cuisine, especially clay pots, noodles (like Beef Chow Fun), and incredible house-made Asian desserts.

Directions: 2020 S Parker Rd

Aurora & Nearby Areas

Chef Liu’s Kitchen

Known for its bold Szechuan and Northern Chinese dishes, available for dine-in or takeout.

Directions: 2222 S Havana St

Dillon’s Dumpling House

Open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Christmas Day for takeout, delivery, and dine-in.
Order online at dillonsdumplinghouse.com.

Directions: 3571 S Tower Rd

Nana’s Dim Sum & Dumplings

The Aurora location is open from noon to 9 p.m. for dine-in, takeout, and delivery.
You can order via their website nanasdimsumanddumplings.com.

Directions: 2495 S Havana St

Shanghai Kitchen

Open for takeout, delivery, and dine-in from 11:30 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. on Christmas Day.
Order online at shanghaikitchendenver.com.

Directions: 4940 S Yosemite St

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Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets: Recap and final score

Published

23 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets: Recap and final score

In a game that was over in the first quarter, the Denver Nuggets destroyed the Utah Jazz 135-112. The score isn’t even indicative of how the game went. To start the game, the Nuggets went on a massive run, leaving the Jazz down by 27 points in the middle of the 1st quarter. For the Jazz, it’s surprising just how different they are on the road versus at home. At home, the Jazz are 7-9 while they are 3-9 on the road. This game was a perfect example. The Jazz looked like they got Monstar’d in the first quarter, and there was no way for them to recover the rest of the game. It’s a sign that this Jazz team, as competitive as they’ve mostly been at home, is not there yet as a competitive team.

There were a few things on this one to build on, but some things to be concerned about. Keyonte George was able to calm down after a shaky start and was able to shoot a respectable 7/14 from the field and 2/4 from three. He also grabbed 8 boards and dished out 7 assists. George looked the most in control of anyone on the Jazz during the loss. It’s one of those signs that George is evolving into a great player who will perform at a high level regardless of whatever situation he’s in.

For things to be a little concerned about? Lauri Markkanen continues not shoot the three well. Tonight he was 2/9 from three and is now shooting 35.2%. Overall, Markkanen shot it well from the field at 10/20, but it would be nice if that three-point shot started falling more consistently. It’s the skillset that sets Markkanen apart but it’s not really showing up again this season. Last season, Markkanen ended the year at 34.6%. Is this the reflection of a season being thrown again, or is this just what Markkanen is as a shooter?

Probably the biggest concern of everything is the defense. Yes, you’re playing against Nikola Jokic, but the Jazz came into this one as the #29 defense in the league. So many times in this one, you have defenders playing off shooters and not able to defend shooters. And we’re not talking drive-and-kick-type plays, these are one-pass-away possessions that are getting open threes. It’s not the best sign for this team, ever being a high-level defense. Maybe they’re not trying as hard with the obvious tank that now appears to be happening, but it would be nice to see some better outcomes with the defense on nights like tonight. That said, the best thing for this team, after a game like tonight, is to add more talent to the roster. Fixing the defense is something they’ll worry about more next season. But it’s definitely something to watch as the season goes on, and pay attention to who is able to make an impact defensively.

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Denver, CO

Denver Broncos Week 18 opponent just lost a huge defensive contributor

Published

1 day ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Denver Broncos Week 18 opponent just lost a huge defensive contributor

The Denver Broncos saw their 11-game winning streak end thanks to the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was a pretty brutal performance all the way around from Denver, but thanks to that 11-game winning streak, the Broncos were actually able to lose a game – they could afford a loss, if that makes sense.

Even with the Bills, Chargers, and Patriots all winning in Week 16, the 12-3 Broncos are still atop the AFC West and atop the AFC. All Denver has to do is win their final two games, and both things will be clinched. With Denver slowly beginning to battle key injuries, getting that first-round bye could be massive for the health of the team.

With the Kansas City Chiefs likely starting a third-string QB in Week 17, you would like to think that Denver can take care of business and get to 13-3, which could set up a massive showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers for the division title. Well, that game just got a bit more interesting, as a key Chargers’ defensive player was just suspended.

Chargers lose starting linebacker Denzel Perryman to a two-game suspension

Here is the update from Tom Pelissero:

Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman has been suspended without pay for two games for repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players, including during Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 22, 2025

Denzel Perryman is a starting linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers and was essentially suspended two games for not playing a clean, safe version of football. This obviously means that Perryman is not suiting up for the remainder of the regular season, but will be back in time for the playoffs.

Perryman, 33 years old, is on his second stint with the Chargers and has now played in 10 games this year. In those 1- games, he’s racked up three passes defended, 47 total tackles, and four tackles for loss. Perryman is definitely more of a tone-setter on the defensive side of the ball and not someone who is going to make those hyper-athletic splashy plays that some linebackers can make.

This is huge for the Chargers’ defense, a very good unit thanks to defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, but the personnel on that side of the ball aren’t super talented. The Chargers are one of those teams that honestly benefit more from great coaching than they do having more talent than the opponent.

The Bolts can still win the AFC West, but they would have to win their final two games. Not having Denzel Perryman for a massive Week 18 showdown in Denver is flat-out massive and a huge blow to their defense.

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