Again back from injury and replacing during this month of January, Aaron Gordon found his place in the major five Nuggets in New York. Inevitably, if a player enters, you have to get another one. The logical choice was Russell Westbrook. But Michael Malone decided to choose Christian Braunindisputable holder since the start of the season …
“It's never an easy decision”,, concedes the Denver coach. “Christian Braun was excellent this season. Not just good, but excellent. He did everything asked. »»
So why sacrifice it? “I want to keep Westbrook on the parquet floor. The duo he forms with Nikola Jokic is the best in the league right now and I don't want to break their rhythm ”, answers Michael Malone. “Knowing Braun, whether he is a holder or a sort of the bench and plays 29 minutes, he will give us the same thing each evening. We need it. I congratulate myself that he understands what we are trying to do. »»
He came out of his best career match …
The 2017 MVP and the nugget pivot actually get along very well since the first gave 107 assists to the second and no duo in the league, not even Chris Paul – Victor Wembanyama, with more important playing time, does not done better.
While he had settled in the major five, and he had just signed his best career match against the Bulls (28 points), Christian Braun must give way to Russell Westbrook. “It is not a punishment. The coach only believes that it is the best thing for us ”he slips. “He accepted things well”adds the technician, aware that his player wants more.
As a good soldier, the back of the Nuggets agrees to lose his place. But as a good competitor, he hopes to find her very quickly. “No matter what I am asked to do, I will do it for the team. Afterwards, it is obvious that I was proud to hold, to have won my place and I will work to find it. It's my job. That's what I want ”, he assumes. “Everyone wants to hold in the NBA. I will continue to have minutes, opportunities. I just have to enjoy it as much as possible. »»
A decision that can quickly evolve
And the rest? Michael Malone said that this decision was not engraved in marble. “This is the one we have taken for now and we are going to give her a chance to see how it evolves”he said.
The scenario of the meeting in New York was rather funny for Christian Braun. Nikola Jokic took two faults in two minutes at the start of the first quarter, forcing his coach to get him out immediately to bring in … the rear, who therefore played almost 10 minutes in this quarter, as if it were holder.
“I don't see the difference. Yes, I want to be a holder, like everyone else, but whatever. I only want to bring my stone when I play ”, He insists after 13 points in defeat against the Knicks. “The guys have deserved their place, they have been in the league for a while, more than me. They deserve it all. »»
| Christian Braun | Percentage | Rebound | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | Lf | Off | Def | Early | PD | Fte | Int | COP | Ct | Pts |
| 2022-23 | Barter | 76 | 16 | 49.5 | 35.4 | 62.5 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 4.7 |
| 2023-24 | Barter | 82 | 20 | 46.0 | 38.4 | 69.4 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 7.3 |
| 2024-25 | Barter | 45 | 32 | 57.6 | 37.7 | 82.4 | 1.3 | 3.4 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 14.3 |
| Total | 203 | 21 | 51.0 | 37.4 | 72.9 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 7.9 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = minutes; Shots = successful shots / tempted shots; 3pts = 3-point / 3-point attempted; LF = Successful free throws / tempted free throws; Off = offensive rebound; Def = defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; PD = assists; FTE: Personal faults; Int = interceptions; BP = lost bullets; CT: against; Pts = points.
