How Reggie Jackson’s summer unexpectedly became crucial to the Nuggets’ title defense

DENVER—Reggie Jackson needs to turn back the clock for the Denver Nuggets, and he proved it on Wednesday night.

The Nuggets are counting on the 33-year-old guard, nicknamed “Big Government,” to bail them out of a hole because starting point guard Jamal Murray is out for a month with a hamstring ailment. For the time being, Denver’s title defense is partially in the hands of the seasoned Colorado native.

Jackson scored 20 points and had six assists as the Nuggets beat the Warriors 108-105 to go to 8-1 on the season, capping the most compressed section of the team’s schedule this season. Jackson battled foul trouble to play heroic defense against the perimeter-heavy champs from two years ago, meshing with Nikola Jokic in crunch time.

“Reggie has been fantastic for us, he plays with the starters and second unit and has a different role with each,” Malone said. “He’s a scorer; he’s been one his entire career, but more importantly, he has six assists and no turnovers, which is what you want from your starting point guard.” Reggie is significantly better for having spent the entire offseason and training camp with us.

Last season, Jackson never found that amazing play. After being released by the Los Angeles Clippers, he didn’t fit into the Nuggets rotation last season. Jackson sat on the bench in SoCal as a result of a situation in which former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook was assigned to the Clippers. They notoriously feuded in Oklahoma City, causing backup point guard Jackson to be transferred to Detroit away from the team’s star.

At the time, a much younger Jackson was determined about being an NBA starter, which he’d readily demonstrate with the Pistons. Now, Jackson is out to prove that he belongs with the NBA champions.

“Proving to myself that I can still play and that I can then be effective with this team, with this style of play,” an honest Jackson said Wednesday. “I think it stems from my military background.” Growing up, I didn’t realize how much of a blessing it was to move around a lot and play different styles, always being the new kid who had to adapt into his style. So everything didn’t always revolve around me… I acquired a lot of game from a lot of areas, and I think the most exciting part of the game for me throughout my career has been trying to be successful or find success while constantly adapting… I simply wanted to demonstrate that I could be effective and help this team.”

Jackson was released by the star-studded Clippers despite a 19-game playoff run in which he averaged 18 points per game. He struggled before coming to Denver, and Los Angeles was looking for someone who would never play with Jackson again. So Jackson was acquired by the Nuggets at the close of the season to give the squad some oomph. He didn’t have a big impact, but he did see some postseason action when the team needed it.

“You always have to find chemistry with any All-Star you play with, figure out what they’re doing.” “It took me a little longer to figure it out last year, and then I found myself out of the lineup,” Jackson explained. “I’m not bitter about it because it resulted in a championship for me.” So I was quite pleased.”

Jackson received the ring that had previously evaded Westbrook, James Harden, Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond, Paul George, Joakim Noah, and Derrick Rose. Of course, Kevin Durant ended up choosing Golden State for one, and Kawhi Leonard is a true champion. Nonetheless, Jackson is well-versed in the league and intelligent enough to understand it.

“Once I fell out of the lineup, it was just trying to figure it out,” he added. “When you’re a point guard on offense, you see everything directly in front of you because you’re usually the quarterback.” You kind of make decisions and people have to trust your instincts that you put them in excellent places, but now recognizing that I’m more like a receiver, especially when you play with Nikola, and trying to figure out what he sees as I’m playing.”

The key to understanding came to Jackson while Jokic was at his stables in Sombor, Serbia, on the practice courts inside Ball Arena. Sure, Jackson rejoiced in the same way that Aaron Gordon was paraded down LoDo streets and Murray popped the question,  but it was Jackson’s time in the gym this summer that has created the newfound chemistry with his backflipping-into-rivers-big man.

“Being able to talk to the coaches even though I may not know all the plays right now, just be able to pick their brains and sit with them, talk about things that we were trying to do a second unit, things our team kind of does and plays having an understanding of our why and our purpose in the way that we play allows me to at least have a chance to try to find success with the first unit,” Jackson described. “I think being here in the summer has definitely benefited me and I’m very thankful that I spent my summer here with the team and being around our coaches and be around our young guys.”

Jackson gave a lot of credit to Jokic, Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for treating him as a contemporary and integrating the goggles-wearing oldhead into the Blue Arrow’s spot.

The chemistry was thrown into the test tube late in the tight contest with the Warriors. Jackson wound up assisting or scoring Denver’s final three field goals of the game. First, he dished to Jokic at 4:22 for a seven-footer that gave the Nuggets the lead back at 99-97.

“I think he’s just that damn good that he making me look like I know what I’m doing out there with the team,” Jackson said.

Then Jokic twice returned the favor, hitting Jackson for layups with 2:33 and 1:09 left to ice it.

“It was funny, Jokic told me a few plays before, he’s like, ‘you’re gonna be open on this play that we drew up at a time out,’” Jackson recalled. “I didn’t get it but then he just kept telling me like be ready. So once he said that my mind had clicked to stay ready, stay looking, trying to see what he’s finding. It was funny because I’m looking for the weak side I’m looking for somebody to come help and I don’t think they wanted to leave AG, of course Mike was hot, we all know what Pope can do—he can get going at any given moment. I found myself the recipient of just probably the easiest basket.”

“One of the easiest baskets I’ve ever had in my career so it was funny, and then it happened again,” Jackson said. “And it was funny like the crowd I appreciate everybody’s cheering. We’re all hyped, but I was like, Yeah, I didn’t really do much, it was like you’re probably not that good of a player. You just make sure you’re in the right spot at the right time.”

Jackson will have to keep being in the right places at the right time for maybe another dozen games and most of Denver’s NBA Cup run given Murray’s timeline. Factoring the Nuggets 16-4 playoff record last season was built on the back of home court advantage, it’s key to the team that they maintain seeding. With the team’s backup point guard from a year ago in Bruce Brown now a Pacer, it’s Jackson with a wide runway to jet into a mainstay role all the while he could help the team take off early on their title defense.

It might just be playing a role and only nine games in, but Jackson has proven he’s still worthy of that. And the kid from Colorado Springs who once wrote “SPG” (starting point guard) on his shoes to tick off Westbrook and inspire himself—is now lead-guarding the NBA champions through autumn, even if it is as a wide receiver.

“This team is very special, it’s fun playing with his group,” Jackson said.