Denver
Nuggets

This late-season stretch was a masterclass in offensive orchestration, defined by a center who could completely hijack a basketball game without even looking at the rim. During the 04/08 vs MEM matchup, Jokić scored a modest 14 points but still generated a massive +28.3 Impact. He dominated the glass with 16 rebounds and picked apart the defense with 10 assists, creating immense value through sheer possession control and elite court vision rather than scoring. However, extreme passivity occasionally backfired, most notably on 03/17 vs PHI. He attempted just seven shots to finish with a meager eight points, and his reluctance to aggressively punish mismatches resulted in a sluggish -8.2 Impact. When he actually flipped the scoring switch alongside his playmaking, the results were terrifying. He obliterated the Spurs on 03/12 vs SAS with 31 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 assists, yielding an astronomical +49.5 Impact because he fought for every loose ball and relentlessly attacked the paint.

Jamal Murray spent the final months of the season operating as an absolute offensive supernova, torching nets with a string of nuclear shooting performances. The peak of this binge arrived on 03/25 vs DAL, where he poured in 53 points on a blistering 19-of-28 from the floor. Because he hunted high-quality looks and drained nine triples rather than settling for contested jumpers, his staggering +48.8 Impact score accurately captured his total offensive dominance. He was not entirely immune to cold spells, however, as seen during a brutal outing on 03/14 vs LAL. Murray managed a measly 5 points on a disastrous 1-of-14 shooting night, resulting in a -9.0 Impact score as his errant shot selection actively derailed the offense. Yet, he also found ways to add value when his scoring volume dipped, like on 03/17 vs PHI. Despite finishing with just 12 points, his active work on the glass to grab six rebounds and his unselfish ball movement earned him a +6.9 Impact score. When he marries elite shot-making with that kind of gritty floor game, he remains an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses.

Extreme volatility defined this late-season stretch for Aaron Gordon, as he swung wildly between unguardable offensive force and passive liability. He looked like a superstar on 03/14 vs LAL, torching the defense for 27 points on 5-of-10 shooting from deep. That explosive outing earned a massive +14.7 Impact score because he paired elite perimeter shot-making with relentless physical energy. Yet, even when his box score looked respectable later in the month, his actual on-court value sometimes cratered. During a grueling 41-minute shift on 04/04 vs SAS, Gordon tallied 15 points on efficient 7-of-12 shooting but still dragged the team down with a -0.6 Impact score due to hidden costs like late defensive rotations and sloppy execution. He quickly woke up on 04/06 vs POR, stuffing the stat sheet with 23 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. That all-around dominance yielded a peak +15.1 Impact score, reflecting exactly the kind of downhill bully-ball and glass-cleaning hustle his team desperately needs.

This midseason stretch was defined by soaring two-way peaks that abruptly gave way to a diminished bench role. When his jumper was falling, Watson looked utterly untouchable. He posted a staggering +39.3 Impact score on 01/23 vs WAS, pouring in 35 points on 6-of-8 shooting from deep while suffocating his matchups on the perimeter. Yet that rhythm could vanish in an instant due to erratic shot selection. Just five days later on 01/28 vs DET, he hijacked the offense with heavily contested looks during a 6-for-20 shooting night, earning a brutal -15.2 Impact score. He occasionally found ways to salvage his minutes through sheer grit when his touch abandoned him. During the 02/03 vs DET matchup, Watson scored a modest 17 points on a clunky 4-of-11 from the floor, but still scraped together a +3.2 Impact score by generating crucial defensive stops and outworking opponents for loose balls. Ultimately, his volatile offensive execution forced a late-season demotion to the second unit.

Tim Hardaway Jr.’s late-season stretch was defined by maddening, high-variance volatility off the bench. He could catch fire at a moment's notice, but his scoring outbursts often came with ruinous hidden costs. Look no further than Mar 09 vs OKC, where he poured in 28 points but still posted a brutal -14.3 impact score because his blistering shooting completely masked gaping defensive liabilities. When his outside touch abandoned him, the results were downright catastrophic. His Mar 02 vs UTA performance yielded a ghastly -21.4 impact score as he stubbornly forced isolation attempts and laid bricks from the perimeter. Yet, he occasionally found ways to salvage his minutes when the jumper refused to fall. During Mar 17 vs PHI, Hardaway managed a +6.0 impact score despite scoring just 9 points on 3-of-11 shooting, leveraging strong defensive effort to keep the second unit afloat.

Cameron Johnson settled into a rhythm as a lethal, high-efficiency floor spacer during this late-season run, though his overall influence fluctuated wildly depending on his engagement in the dirty work. On 03/22 vs POR, he roasted the defense for 19 points on a blistering 5-for-7 from deep. That brilliant shot selection and sharp defensive effort generated a massive +17.5 impact score. Yet, his passivity off the ball occasionally erased his scoring value entirely. Take his 03/25 vs DAL appearance, where he contributed an efficient 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting but still posted a -4.0 impact. That negative mark stemmed from hidden costs, namely grabbing just a single rebound and failing to disrupt the Mavericks' perimeter flow. When he actively crashed the glass and moved the ball, his true ceiling emerged. He put everything together on 04/01 vs UTA, posting 19 points, nine rebounds, and six assists to drive a commanding +17.0 impact.

Christian Braun’s mid-March to mid-April stretch was defined by maddening inconsistency, oscillating violently between brilliant two-way dominance and total offensive invisibility. He exploded on 03/18 vs MEM with 26 points, seven rebounds, and five assists on sharp 11-of-19 shooting. That aggressive shot creation and sheer efficiency drove a massive +25.4 Impact score. Yet, just days earlier on 03/12 vs SAS, Braun posted an ugly -8.0 Impact score. Despite grabbing nine rebounds, his abysmal 3-of-11 shooting and forced perimeter attempts completely tanked his overall value. He eventually found ways to contribute even when his jumper vanished. Take a hard look at 04/06 vs POR. He managed only eight points in 40 minutes, but his relentless defensive effort and crucial hustle plays secured a +3.5 Impact score.

Bruce Brown's late-season stretch was defined by maddening inconsistency, oscillating wildly between disruptive two-way energy and entirely hollow bench minutes. Even when his shot was falling, hidden defensive costs often dragged his overall value into the red. Take Mar 20 vs TOR as a prime example. Despite a highly efficient 12-point scoring night, poorly timed gambles compromised the team's defensive shell and saddled him with a -4.5 impact score. The bottom completely fell out during Mar 25 vs DAL, where uncharacteristic struggles navigating ball screens allowed opposing guards to feast, resulting in a brutal -14.4 impact mark. Yet, when he channeled his chaotic energy correctly, Brown remained a lethal weapon. He wreaked absolute havoc during Mar 22 vs POR, turning live-ball turnovers into immediate fast-break points to post a stellar +10.8 impact score alongside 13 points.

Jonas Valančiūnas spent the bulk of this late-season stretch marooned at the end of the rotation, struggling to find rhythm in microscopic, low-leverage stints. His absolute nadir arrived on 03/14 vs LAL, where he posted a disastrous -16.4 impact score in just three minutes of floor time. Bleeding that much value in such a brief window requires a brutal combination of blown defensive assignments and empty offensive possessions. Even when his scoring touch returned, the underlying metrics often rejected his contributions, as seen on 04/08 vs MEM. Despite pouring in 14 points on flawless 6-for-6 shooting in that contest, he still managed a negative -1.0 impact score because his complete lack of playmaking and heavy-footed rim protection surrendered whatever value his finishing created. Yet, when suddenly thrust into the starting lineup on 04/10 vs OKC, the veteran big man unleashed a spectacular throwback performance. He racked up 23 points, 17 rebounds, and four assists in 32 minutes, generating a massive +24.4 impact score by bullying smaller defenders, cleaning the glass relentlessly, and punishing double teams with sharp passing.

Julian Strawther’s late-season stretch was defined by extreme rotational whiplash, bouncing from a starting role to the deep bench before roaring back to life in April. Relegated to spot minutes for weeks, his absolute nadir arrived on 04/01 vs UTA. He logged a brutal -17.0 impact score in just nine minutes of pure cardio, failing to record a single point, rebound, or assist while completely hemorrhaging value on the floor. Even when his shot started falling again, like his 11-point outing on 04/06 vs POR, his -1.2 impact revealed the hidden costs of a one-dimensional performance completely devoid of rebounds or assists. Yet, thrust back into the starting five on 04/10 vs OKC, Strawther finally flipped the script. He poured in 22 points and earned a massive +12.5 impact score. By pairing his lethal perimeter shooting with active hustle and genuine defensive engagement, he transformed from a bench liability back into a dangerous offensive weapon.

Spencer Jones spent this midseason stretch trapped in rotational purgatory, bouncing between the starting lineup and the end of the bench while struggling to find any rhythm. When given a real leash, he occasionally rewarded his coaching staff. During a spot start on 03/12 vs SAS, he poured in 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting to generate a massive +14.1 impact score. He also found ways to create value without dominating the ball, logging a +4.3 impact mark on 02/25 vs BOS despite scoring just six points because he relentlessly crashed the glass for seven rebounds and contested shots on the perimeter. Unfortunately, those bright spots were heavily overshadowed by brutal, empty-calorie shifts that crippled his team. Look no further than 03/25 vs DAL, where he wandered through 20 minutes of action to produce just four points and two rebounds, resulting in a disastrous -14.5 impact score. His passive shot selection and defensive lapses during these duds meant he was constantly bleeding value on the floor. Until Jones learns to leverage his sporadic hustle into reliable nightly production, he will remain a wildly unpredictable gamble.

Jalen Pickett's midseason stretch was defined by a swift, brutal demotion from the starting lineup to the deep bench. The breaking point arrived on 02/03 vs DET, where he missed all five of his shot attempts in just 10 minutes to generate a catastrophic -16.0 Impact score. His complete lack of scoring gravity and forced perimeter shots simply killed the first-unit offense. He spent the next two months buried in the rotation until extended minutes finally emerged during a 13-point outing on 04/10 vs OKC. He followed that up with 11 points and 6 assists in 30 minutes on 04/12 vs SAS, but that raw production was a complete mirage. Despite the double-digit scoring, he posted a dismal -8.6 Impact score against San Antonio. The hidden costs of his floor time were glaring, as he clanked his way to a 4-for-13 shooting night and stalled out possessions with highly inefficient volume.

Zeke Nnaji spent this stretch glued to the deepest end of the rotation, struggling to find any offensive rhythm during a string of empty cameos. Even when handed a rare start on 03/05 vs LAL, his limitations were glaring. He logged 24 minutes and grabbed five rebounds in that contest, but still posted a -6.1 Impact score because his lack of scoring punch completely negated a genuinely sturdy defensive effort. The bottom fell out a month later on 04/08 vs MEM. In just seven minutes of action, Nnaji put up a ghost-like stat line of zero points and zero rebounds, yielding a disastrous -15.2 Impact score driven by nonexistent box-score production. He received one final starting nod on 04/12 vs SAS, scoring a stretch-high six points. Yet, the hidden costs of his presence remained severe; a meager two rebounds in 20 minutes and poor defensive positioning dragged him to a -12.9 Impact.

For DaRon Holmes II, the late spring of the 2025-26 season was an exercise in pure garbage-time futility. He offered a fleeting glimpse of his offensive ceiling during the 03/06 vs NYK matchup, drilling two three-pointers to tally 11 points in eight minutes for a +1.6 Impact score. Yet, even when the ball went through the hoop, his overall presence often hurt the team. Take the 03/29 vs GSW game, where he poured in 5 points on perfect shooting in just two minutes but still registered a -1.7 Impact score. Those hidden costs dragged him down, as his complete lack of rebounding and defensive resistance gave those quick points right back to the opponent. The floor completely fell out during the 03/22 vs POR contest. In a mere two minutes of action, he managed zero points, one rebound, and a disastrous -19.5 Impact score, a staggering negative mark driven by empty offensive possessions and nonexistent defensive effort.

This six-game stretch was defined by deep-bench irrelevance and an agonizing inability to capitalize on garbage-time minutes. Given a rare extended look on 02/25 vs BOS, Simpson managed just 2 points on 1-for-5 shooting across 14 minutes, resulting in a -0.3 impact score. Things rapidly deteriorated from there. He bottomed out during a brutal two-minute cameo on 04/01 vs UTA, posting an abysmal -13.8 impact score. When a guard bleeds that much value in just 120 seconds, it points directly to blown defensive rotations, poor spacing, and rushed shot selection. He offered zero redemption on 04/08 vs MEM, logging a staggering -12.7 impact in merely three minutes. You simply cannot survive on an NBA roster when your brief moments on the hardwood actively sabotage the team.

An agonizing offensive deep-freeze defined Hunter Tyson's mid-January stretch. The brutal slump quickly dragged him out of the starting lineup and into the darkest corners of the bench. The nightmare peaked on 01/19 vs CHA, where he bricked his way to an abysmal -16.5 impact score. He missed all nine of his field goal attempts that night, including eight errant heaves from beyond the arc. That ghastly impact rating stems directly from his broken jumper and wasted offensive possessions, as his total lack of scoring gravity allowed defenders to roam freely. Even when he deferred entirely, like his quiet start on 01/12 vs MIL where he attempted just one shot in 12 minutes, his passive presence still bled value to the tune of a -11.2 impact score. His playing time predictably plummeted as the month wore on. Though he finally hit a single three-pointer during a microscopic three-minute cameo on 02/01 vs OKC to salvage a slightly better -3.1 impact, Tyson remains a glaring offensive liability.

Tyus Jones spent this late-season stretch tumbling into irrelevance. He battled a brutal slump that banished him to the deep bench. Just look at his outing on 03/05 vs LAL, where he posted a dreadful -15.6 impact score while failing to score or register a single assist in six ghost-like minutes. His abysmal metrics throughout this period stemmed from extreme passivity, rushed shot selection, and a total inability to organize the offense. He found a rare spark when thrust into the starting lineup on 02/20 vs MIN, logging 13 points and six assists to scrape together a +0.3 impact score. During an April start on 04/10 vs OKC, Jones hit all three of his attempts from deep to finish with nine points, but still posted a miserable -7.9 impact. That negative mark reveals the hidden costs of his floor time: opposing guards relentlessly hunted his lack of size on defense, entirely erasing the value of his perimeter shooting.