Grades: Nuggets lose more than game at Chase Center

The Denver Nuggets would have endured a loss to the Golden State Warriors. Suboptimal that result would have been, it would be a far easier pill to swallow than what followed. But the Nuggets lost more than the game in Chase Center Friday night. After losing Jamal Murray indefinitely at the very end of a game in the same building, Denver will be without Will Barton for an undetermined amount of time after straining his hamstring on the Nuggets’ second possession.

Down Murray, Barton, and Monte Morris, the Nuggets cobbled some broken lineups together. Michael Porter Jr. did his best to shoot the team out of a malaise, but the defense collapsed on Nikola Jokić, who did not rise to the monumental challenge.

In the end, Steph Curry wowed a limited-capacity crowd in their return to Chase Center and pounded his chest in pride as he sealed the win in the fourth quarter.

Let’s go to the grades:

Nikola Jokić – B

Jokić looked like he needed a system reboot after Barton went down. He found open shooters with ease, but the shooters he found were open for a reason. Golden State sold out on making his life difficult as he force-fed opportunities to PJ Dozier and Facundo Campazzo. The calculation changes now without three ball handlers/floor spacers. Jokić deserves the benefit of the doubt and some time to recalibrate. Still, he never made the adjustment Denver needed — to pick up his pace, find and sometimes force shots, even if it rages against his egalitarian nature. We’ve seen him make that adjustment this season. It’s why he will win the MVP award. He gets a chance to pick up the pieces tonight.

Michael Porter Jr. – A-

Despite two impressive blocks, this game isn’t exactly Exhibit A for Porter’s growth as a defender. That said, he represented Denver’s best chance of winning the game. Porter shot 7 of 14 from deep on his way to 26 points. It’s a good start towards becoming the player they’ll need him to be going forward — the version of himself Michael Malone worked so hard to tame; a walking bucket.

But there’s a next step beyond jacking shots up. Without Murray, Jokić turned to Barton and the two-man game in the clutch. Without Barton, the education of Porter ramps up yet again. Can he and Jokić take their budding chemistry to the next level? Can they develop a dynamic that cripples opposing defenses, regardless of optimal spacing and starting lineups? It’s the only way forward.

Aaron Gordon – B

Gordon is the perfect complementary piece to a healthy roster in Denver. He’s got a new role in a different ecosystem now, and it won’t always be pretty. We saw him bear down with playoff intensity on the defensive end immediately following the trade. That’s slipped since, as evidenced by Wiggins blowing by him and throwing down a warm-up dunk last night. If you’re looking to give him the benefit of the doubt, indeed, he shouldn’t be expected to play that hard every night in the regular season — especially with fellow rotation players dropping like flies. And he might also be recalculating what it means for him to pick up the slack here and where to expend his energy.

In the end, his efficient 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block comprise a decent performance. But Denver needs more from Gordon now. Don’t show this to any Orlando Magic fans.

Facundo Campazzo – D+

Campazzo held Steph Curry to a mere great game from a mortal for three quarters. But in the final frame, it was all futile against a basketball deity. The Curry/Draymond Green two-man game devastated down the stretch, and poor Campazzo got to role play as a Washington General. Offensively, the problems he presents the spacing compounded without Barton. He found his open shots again, and he damn near missed them all. He finished 1/7 from deep and 1/8 from the floor.

PJ Dozier – C

The Nuggets need more from Dozier now, and that’s a scary thought. Dozier’s at his best when he holds himself in check. I expect a full-blown agent of chaos going forward. His outside shooting and decision-making are more important than ever. Both were erratic in the loss Friday night.

Austin Rivers – D+

Rivers did not play well on either end of the court. It doesn’t matter much now, as Denver will need him to play regardless of performance. They’re out of options for the time being.

Shaq Harrison – B-

Harrison played some spectacular defense. He’s going to cramp the floor much like Campazzo, and especially alongside Campazzo, so this may prove to be a honeymoon phase over time. But I’m all in on Shaq.

JaMychal Green – D

Green is slumping. He’s not playing well at all right now.

Paul Millsap – C

Putting Millsap and Green alongside each other is not working. Malone would like it to, but it’s not getting there. Millsap played a better game Friday night, for what it’s worth.

On Barton:

Yet again, the Nuggets will enter the playoffs, unsure of what they’ll get from Barton. It’s a crushing blow to the rotation and the playoff hopes. It’s hard not to sympathize with Barton now. After the dust settled at the trade deadline, he was still here. His starter spot secure. Finally, a chance to help this team win a title was on the table. Perhaps that still happens for him. We don’t yet know the severity of the right hamstring strain, but the totality of these injuries paint a bleak picture. We’re reminded for the thousandth time that this game is not about fairness. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery.