Grades: Denver Nuggets blow 18-point lead in Brooklyn

It was a tale in two halves in Brooklyn. Or, really, a story of one quarter. Denver undid their best half of the regular season with one disastrous stretch. The Nets opened the third quarter on a 29-4 run and took the lead. Kevin Durant was on another level, and the Nuggets didn’t have a chance once their cushion disappeared. The score was close, but control was gone, and Durant buried them with a dagger step-back three. Is there anything to be encouraged about after the latest crushing loss? Let’s go through it one player at a time.

Report Cards are out:

Bol Bol – C+

Gary Harris was a late scratch due to personal reasons, and Bol caught the shocking start in his stead. He was essentially the small forward alongside the usual starters and Will Barton, which meant he drew the KD assignment. Durant was passive in the first stint, and Bol held his own. After being swallowed whole by a couple of screens to start the game, Bol caught up to speed and looked liked he belonged. He stepped into and buried his first shot of the game — an open three. Bol wasn’t as steady in the second half. The Nets went on that tear mentioned above. In the meantime, Bol turned down a wide-open three from the corner, resulting in a travel call. That happened more than once.

After the game, Bol told the media his positive takeaway from the performance was that he played hard through his mistakes from start to finish.

Nikola Jokić – A-

Durant was phenomenal, yet Jokić might still have been the best player on the floor in the first half. He entered halftime with 13 points on 4/8 shooting, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals. He engaged all-around, and the Nuggets looked poised to blow the game open. Jokić was on the floor for what transpired in the third quarter and missed a clutch shot opportunity late in the game. He’s been so good all season that to criticize him almost feels like missing the point. Still, he had a chance to put a bow on this game, and his foot came off the gas as well.

Will Barton III – A-

Barton finally broke through via the three-point shot. He was 6/8 from deep Tuesday night, finishing with 22 points and 3 steals. This was far and away his best performance of the year, alas, it’s all for naught in the end. The lasting image of this game will be Durant burying that three over his outstretched arm.

Paul Millsap – B

What a strange night for Millsap. He hit all three of his field foal attempts, registering 10 points and 4 rebounds on the night, but he only played 21:52 and was noticeably absent down the stretch. Millsap might just be a three-point specialist at this point.

Jamal Murray – C- 

It’s getting worse out there. Murray at least got 20 shots up this time, but he only hit 9 of them, and that’s getting the good stuff out of the way early. He was horrendous on the other end of the floor. Brooklyn’s Bruce Brown recorded 16 points on 8/11 from the field, including multiple baskets in crunch time. Murray also finished with zero rebounds and three turnovers to his four assists. Is he hurt? Is he tired? He isn’t on the injury report, and he isn’t playing anywhere near his new value.

Let’s set the context: this is still a better start than we are used to from him. He’s posting career highs in field goal percentage at the rim, from three-point range, and getting to the line at a better rate. But we can all see something’s not right lately.

The defense is a disaster. The injuries are taking their toll. And still, the bottom line is if Murray shows up consistently, this team is above .500. They pay him to be more than consistent, and he’s falling short of that bar again.

PJ Dozier – D+

Dozier was Malone’s safety valve with the Bol start. He was the first strategy to patch any holes, and he wasn’t particularly effective in the role. He’s a great defensive player, but he finished 2/9 from the floor and 0/3 from deep. More to the point, he doesn’t seem to fully grasp why he gets so much playing time. They don’t need whatever money he finds in his pocket on the offensive end.

Monte Morris – A-

Morris never turned the ball over in 23:49 and finished with 14 points on 6/7 shooting. I thought the bench played well again, and Morris set the tone for their effort. He’s been so good on the court and just as good off of it. He still believes the Nuggets can have one of the best second units in the league, and he challenged his teammates to rediscover their underdog edge to avoid complacency. He’s not one to blame for this slow start.

JaMychal Green – B-

Green finished with a modest 9 points and 7 rebounds, but three of those rebounds came on the offensive end, which reflects his activity level in his 22 minutes of playing time. He’s been steady as a rock since returning from injury.

Facundo Campazzo – C+

Campazzo didn’t put his finger prints on this one, but he spent his 11 minutes of playing time alongside a bench group that isn’t to blame for this loss. He finished 2/5 from the field.

Isaiah Hartenstein – C+

Hartenstein put up 3 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 fouls in his 11-plus minutes. This guy is active out there, for better or for worse.