Nuggets’ Facundo Campazzo sets career-high 10 assists: “Everybody loves him”

Facundo Campazzo learned his lesson pre-game, well before the Nuggets went on to plaster the Hornets on Wednesday night.

As the Nuggets ran through their layup lines, some players throwing down acrobatic dunks and others launching looks well beyond the 3-point line, Campazzo couldn’t help himself. With one power dribble, Campazzo lifted and tried to show his teammates the 5-foot-11 firecracker could dunk, too.

Just as he was clearing the lane, his mock frustration evident, Michael Porter Jr. tossed the ball through his legs, then high off the backboard before effortlessly throwing down a seamless one-handed jam. Porter’s ease, compared to Campazzo’s desire, was laughable.

MPJ dunk. pic.twitter.com/DbFISHYaDd

— Mike Singer (@msinger) March 18, 2021

So minutes into the fourth quarter of what became Denver’s 129-104 drubbing, when Campazzo pickpocketed one of his career-high four steals and had nothing but thin air ahead of him, he knew better than to tempt fate. Campazzo dropped the ball behind his back to a trailing Porter, who capitalized as emphatically as he had done pregame. It turned into one of a career-high 10 dimes Campazzo threw.

“That dude brings it every single night,” Porter said of everyone’s favorite Argentinian. “We’ve come to expect it from him, but we just appreciate it every single night. Seeing him just lay his heart out on the floor every night. … We love that dude … Everybody loves him around here.”

Injuries to guards Gary Harris, Monte Morris and R.J. Hampton opened up playing time for Campazzo in February and March, and he’s more than seized his opportunity. In 11 games in February, he averaged 8.4 points, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals in over 22 minutes a night. Through four games in March, he’s averaged 6.5 assists per game, stabilizing and creating alongside Denver’s second unit. His playmaking often puts his teammates in positions to succeed (sound familiar?), and his defense is tenacious.

Campazzo would pick up his opponent 150 feet up the court if he could. Instead, given the NBA’s onerous restrictions, he routinely settles for 94.

“Facu has a chip on his shoulder,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “He has that toughness, and he wants to go out there every night and prove himself. … He’s just one of those guys that I think a lot of players don’t like playing against. He’s just constantly, he’s always there. He’s like that fly. He’s always around you.”

Malone’s Spanish is a work in progress. Given the increased attention from the South American media, Malone has tried to banter on numerous Zoom calls with varying degrees of success.

“Facu es un buen jugador,” Malone began. “Tiene un gran corazon. Defensa es increible … and that’s why I love Facu.”

Campazzo’s acclimation to the NBA has been swift. It took time to understand how to play swarming legal defense or learn where his teammates like the ball or become a consistent sparkplug in the second unit. But 33 games into his NBA career, his impact is undeniable. His frenetic, high-octane style permeates the rest of the team.

“It’s contagious,” said Will Barton. “He’s just a heck of a basketball player, and he plays the right way. When you have a guy like that, it’s just going to bring instant energy to the team.”

The other thing Campazzo has learned over his first months in the NBA is how talented each of his teammates are. The caliber of player and the quality of skill in the NBA far surpasses what he was accustomed to in Spain.

So his niche, he quickly discovered, was his motor.

“I don’t care about make points, or make assists,” he said. “Everyone can score on this team, everyone can get the ball and play like a playmaker. I just want to play as hard as I can and give my 100 %. The rest is secondary for me. I will always try to put the team over the individual things.”

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