Nuggets' Shaw can't take Faried out of starting lineup: 'I'd probably get egged'

In search of answers at 18-24 and on a four-game losing streak, Denver Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw was asked Tuesday about potentially mixing up the starting lineup.

Specifically, Shaw was asked if he had considered starting Darrell Arthur, who has modest numbers at 7.3 points and 3.4 rebounds a night but who has improved the defense by 10.3 points per-100 possessions when he's on the floor. That would mean benching Jusuf Nurkic and going small, or benching Kenneth Faried, the recipient of a four-year, $50-million contract this offseason.

Much as the Arthur-Faried pairing has worked, Shaw isn't willing to go that small, and he simply can't bench Faried. Because he's afraid.

"If I took Kenneth out of the starting lineup, I'd probably get egged by all the fans around here because everybody is a big Manimal fan," Shaw said.

Faried has started 37 of 39 games this season and 233 of 245 in his career. Considering the contract and the fact that he's averaging 11.9 points and nine rebounds, it doesn't seem likely that Shaw will change his stance on Faried any time soon.

It's been a somewhat disappointing season for Faried, whose production has stagnated after a strong close to last season and an excellent summer with USA Basketball. The Nuggets are still 3.9 points per-100 possessions better with him than without him, but Shaw even discussing Faried going to the bench shows he hasn't progressed as anticipated.