Shaw: Nuggets C McGee should 'accept unique gifts'

Brian Shaw is seeking to get Nuggets center JaVale McGee in the groove. McGee, who has dealt with a stress fracture in his left leg, has been unproductive in his last seven games with just 22 points on 7 of 18 shooting.

But Shaw believes there's more to McGee's struggles than the effects of working his way back from injury. "We've talked to him extensively," Shaw told the Denver Post. "What I really want him to do is just accept the unique gifts God has given him - his length, his athleticism - for that size, and just impact the game, just take his mind off everything else. But just think about defense and how he can impact the game defensively, changing shots, blocking shots, getting rebounds and clogging up the middle for us. And I think everything else will fall in line for him."

McGee has been on a playing-time restriction. He is averaging about 12 minutes per game. Shaw is hoping that McGee puts his offensive game aside for a while.

"I think sometimes he wants to come in and show us and everybody else that he can post up and he can be an offensive force," Shaw said. "And I think that's where he gets himself in trouble from time to time."