Former South Carolina basketball star PJ Dozier is really starting to establish itself in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets. A point guard seeing important minutes in a reserve role is seeing those minutes increase as the season begins.
Dozier, throughout the month of December, averaged 17.5 minutes per game. In the first five games of the new year, he is enjoying 20.8 minutes per game on the court. He is earning 6.0 points per game on average over the month and 6.1 points for the season. But he also has an average of 4.4 rebounds in the year.
Altitude Television Denver Nuggets basketball analyst Bill Hanzlik says what Dozier is bringing goes beyond statistics.
“What you like about PJ is that he can knock three down and is good at hitting the ball,” said Hanzlik in this segment of Saturday’s post-game program.
“He is also a good passer. But he is a guy that defensively, he can really defend 1s, 2s and 3s. You are so happy for a guy like that. It came the hard way. Very similar Mount Morris – G-league, a few other teams, and now he’s found a home. “
Dozier scored five of the team’s 42 points off the bench on Saturday afternoon in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He also added eight rebounds, which was the second best of the team, behind only Nikola Jokic, the center of the team.
In the victory, Dozier had only one assist, but it was certainly a beautiful donation Isaiah Hartenstein an easy bucket for two of your six points in the game.
.@Dozier_Kid pull …@ Ipjh55 plays DOWN. pic.twitter.com/PNbqmJ0gJL
– Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 9, 2021
The Nuggets are 4-5 in the season, after defeating the previous 7-2 76ers.
Dozier played 21 of 26 possible games before the NBA season was suspended in March. He averaged 11.1 minutes, 4.1 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. In eight games played in the bubble, Dozier averaged 22.3 minutes, 10.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He appeared in 12 playoff games and averaged 10.3 minutes, 3.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.