The Denver Nuggets have surged to a 13-4 record despite the key absences of players like Christian Braun, and while the performances of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray have been major components to Denver's success, the emergence of a new standout player.

Peyton Watson has been a steady defensive presence for the Nuggets since his debut in the 2022-23 season, but his scoring has never been a major factor. That couldn't be more different from recently this season. 

Over his last four games, Watson has averaged 20.8 points per game while also tacking on 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. He's also kept his regular defensive prowess, adding a powerful dual threat to an already impressive lineup. 

Murray's Proud of Watson's Improvement

For Watson's teammates, his emergence is no surprise. Murray has had a front row seat to Watson's development and knows that with more time and repetition, he'll only grow more. 

"He's always been such a willing learner and he goes in there and does it with such passion, so to see him improve is what I expected and he's only going to grow. As he gets more comfortable taking that many shots and seeing the ball go through the hoop, it's just going to unlock his game," Murray said (via Nuggets). "

Watson has a season ahead of him, and he's poised to play a vital role throughout it. As his talent and production grows, it would be a fair assumption to make that the Nuggets would rely on him even more. That show of faith from his team wouldn't just be good for his overall number, but for his confidence in both his game and his place on one of the best team's in the NBA. 

"Not just one game, but game to game as the course of the season that's going on, just a huge improvement from last year, not just in terms of stats, but in terms of overall confidence," Murray said. 

An Upgrade in Shooting

Watson's shooting this season has been among his impressive improvements. Through 17 games this season, Watson has been shooting 50.8% from the field and 40% from three. He's started just 7 games this season, but he could see a big increase in his usage as a starter and with that increased usage, increased confidence. 

Watson is still just 23 years old and showing rapid improvement. Should Watson stay on this course, he could continue to assert himself as one of the Nuggets' most valuable support pieces as they make a push for another championship.