Nuggets' Shaw thinks team needs extra PG: 'If anything happens to Ty, we're in trouble'

Ty Lawson poured in 22 points and 12 assists in 49 minutes of action Monday in Toronto. As usual, it wasn't enough for the Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets fell to 9-12 after their overtime loss to the Raptors, with the game serving as a perfect example of why Brian Shaw believes the team needs to find another point guard.

"Especially with Nate (Robinson) out and Randy (Foye) out, we don't have another guy to get us into our offense and run things for us," Shaw said before Monday's game, as reported by The Denver Post's Christopher Dempsey.

Robinson missed his second consecutive game with a back injury on Monday, while Foye remains out with a quad tear.

"So, that's something as an organization that we're going to have to think about - having another point guard or adding another point guard or something to our roster where, because if anything happens to Ty (Lawson), we're in trouble. It's as simple as that."

"I have to hold my breath a lot of times when I take (Lawson) out of the games," Shaw added.

Lawson's value to the undermanned Nuggets has been evident early on this season, with the team performing eight points better per 100 possessions with Lawson on the floor as opposed to on the bench, according to NBA.com.

The NBA's trade season should pick up soon, as Dec. 15 marks the date that teams can trade free agents signed this past summer. If the Nuggets were looking to simply sign another point guard, they would have to make room on their currently full 15-man roster.

For what it's worth, guard Erick Green is the only Nugget playing on an unguaranteed contract.

The Nuggets have lost four straight.