Savvy moves are helping the Nuggets keep their head above water

Because of injuries and some inconsistent play, especially from their bench, the Nuggets continue to be active in acquiring players. The goal is to keep the collective heads above water until reinforcements like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. come back from their injuries.

So let’s take a quick gander at the two latest additions to the roster – Bryn Forbes and DeMarcus Cousins.

Cousins was one of the very best big men in the NBA for many years. Then, a torn ACL derailed the career of this extremely talented big man. He has struggled to find consistency after missing a whole season because of the injury, and just isn’t the same dominant presence he used to be. But at the same time, he certainly can help a team like the Nuggets win some games.

Cousins was acquired to give the Nuggets some size off the bench. He is nothing close to the scoring threat he once was, but he still knows how to score in the low post. At times, the shot selection could be much better, but the guy still knows how to play. And he certainly still can rebound.

In a handful of games with the Nuggets, Cousins is averaging over almost seven rebounds a game – in just 13 minutes per contest. That’s a big number. And it’s exactly what that bench group needs.

But perhaps the biggest contribution Cousins can make is his energy and physical and mental presence. He certainly can be overly emotional, as witnessed by four technical fouls so far, but his approach is exactly what the Nuggets need. Toughness and the never back down attitude are why this guy was signed.

Bryn Forbes was brought in for one reason – to shoot the three ball. That is something else the Nuggets, especially with their second unit, desperately needed. At times, the Nuggets can be an incredibly impressive three-point shooting team, but they are highly inconsistent.

Forbes has averaged almost nine points a game for the Nuggets coming off the bench. The three-point shooting has been inconsistent, but that is usually the way things work when a player is acquired. There is a period of adjustment.

At 6-foot-2, Forbes is not one that can create his own shot. As time goes on, the good guess is that the Nuggets will run plays for him, have him come off screens to set up his potentially deadly three-point shooting. He’s a career 41 percent three-point shooter. With a little more time and some more plays run for him, he’s shooting should get closer to that percentage.

So, considering the fact that the Nuggets gave up very little to get Forbes and nothing to get Cousins, the moves look positive. These two should do nothing but help the Nuggets win games before cavalry comes back.