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The Nuggets Struck Free Agency Gold With Tim Hardaway Jr.

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Brendan Vogt Avatar

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There is virtually no bad shot for Tim Hardaway Jr. in a Nuggets uniform. He’s averaging seven three-point attempts per game this season, and each comes with the express approval of his teammates and coaching staff. They needed his shotmaking badly before the slew of injuries, and they need it now more than ever.

It helps that he’s shooting 41.5% from deep.

Hardaway Jr. reached a new season high with 30 points in a win over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night. He logged roughly 36 minutes on the floor, despite playing off the bench, and played the entire fourth quarter. Only Jamal Murray registered more minutes and took more shots.

“I took 18 shots?” Tim Hardaway Jr. said as he sat down at the podium. “Damn!”

He did indeed take 18 shots — 11 of which were from three-point range.

“I needed to make some more threes,” Hardaway Jr. said before flashing a smile.

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We’ll have to agree to disagree. He made five threes after all, good for 45.5%. He also scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, lighting it up alongside Denver’s franchise point guard.

“Jamal and Tim, they’re just having special years,” Head Coach David Adelman said at the podium. “I think they had 31 of our 38 in the fourth.”

Hardaway Jr. stepped seamlessly into a top-option role for a shorthanded group. He’s been consistent all season, and done so in various roles — that requires preparation and a certain mental toughness. Nikola Jokić has praised him as a professional who cares. After beating the Wizards, Murray lauded THJ’s approach.

“He brings the intensity every single night,” Murray said. “Whether he’s missing or making shots, he brings the intensity. And that’s what I like the most. He doesn’t waver, and his energy is the same every single night…the approach to the game is fun to watch.”

In many ways, Hardaway is the ultimate veteran. He knows how to endear himself to coaching staffs and earn playing time. He’s passionate about the game and cares about his teammates’ success — especially some of the younger guys off the bench. And he leads by example in his approach.

Those are the attributes you expect from a 12-year vet signed to a minimum deal. But Hardaway is bringing so much more to the table than the perfunctory description of a long-time pro. He’s a scintillating shotmaker, and he’s on track to set a career-high in three-point percentage.

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“He’s kind of like (Michael Porter Jr.) in a sense,” Murray mused at the podium. “Once he sees the net, he can get it in the net.”

Through 41 games, THJ is averaging 14.2 points, putting him firmly in the conversation for the Sixth Man of the Year award. His production on this contract is reminiscent of Russell Westbrook’s contributions in Denver. For the second straight season, the Nuggets have struck gold while mining through the bargain bin.

This time, they’ve found one of the league’s premier off-ball threats, whose particular shot diet makes life easy for any coach.

“Tim knows Tim,” Adleman said at the podium. “He knows the situation and doesn’t demand to dribble. There’s something about that in our league where really knowing yourself and what your limitations are in certain situations, and then all the great things you can do that you’ve mastered. He stays in that lane so well. He’s just been fantastic all season long.”

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Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Hardaway’s been a weapon for Adelman. The first-year head coach has consistently lauded the vet as an elite player in out-of-timeout scenarios. He’s the kind of player coaches love drawing up plays for. And it sounds like Adelman’s been dreaming about it since they signed him.

“He’s the one who told me before I even got here that he was going to put me in a lot of actions,” Hardaway said of Adelman. “Just being able to go out and do it and contribute and do it in a positive way, it means a lot.”

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Hardaway’s firepower has helped the Nuggets hold firm in the West without Nikola Jokić. They’re now 7-3 without the big fella, with seven wins in the clutch — the latest thanks to Murray and Hardaway’s monster fourth quarter.

In his last nine games, Hardway has averaged 17.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while shooting 43% from deep on 8.8 attempts.

“You never know throughout the season if you’ll get an opportunity like this,” Hardaway Jr. said of the injuries. “And not only myself, but for other guys. To play these minutes and go out there and contribute as much as we have…like we always say, it’s next man up. So just relish opportunity, man. And that’s what we’ve been trying to do.”