Peyton Watson’s task, as bestowed by Michael Malone, was simple enough: Make Collin Sexton’s life hell.
Two nights ago, Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray tweaked his hamstring against the Milwaukee Bucks. Malone gave him the night off Friday, against the bottom-scraping Utah Jazz. Veteran sixth man Russell Westbrook sat right there, ready and waiting to step in, ballhandler for ballhandler.
But Malone went to Watson, sensing an opportunity. He told the young forward he’d start (technically at guard, but not really, in the position-less void that’s created by playing next to Nikola Jokic). And he assigned the 6-foot-7 Watson to Jazz sparkplug Sexton, Utah’s top option amid a rash of injuries in Salt Lake City.