“We’re going to have a stable on the road from now on.”
Michael Malone
Nikola Jokić – A+
The Denver Nuggets had a Friday night to themselves in New York City. Jokić took the opportunity to visit Meadowlands Racing in East Rutherford, NJ. He spent time with the horses, met the drivers, and even gave an effusive interview. Perhaps the man is not so “new” after all.
After responding to the horseman’s call, Jokić returned to his hobb—job on Saturday. He dismantled the New York Knicks in the famous Madison Square Garden, which treats him well. It took Jokić just under 27 minutes to put up 32 points, 11 boards, five assists and put the game out of reach. He shot just one free throw and knocked down 14 of his 19 shots. It was a masterclass, and if it flies under the radar, it’s because Jokić once again made greatness look easy. He was probably thinking about Meadowlands at halftime.
Jokić made friends. Nine of the acquaintances from the night prior made the trip to the game, Jokić revealed to the press. Every media member, fan, and pundit alive considered or unleashed some version of the same joke. Even Michael Malone quipped the Nuggets should find a stable for him every road game. A reporter asked Jokić if the visit helped him: “Actually, maybe,” Jokić admitted. “Maybe I need to go to the horses every time I travel. Maybe the front office or someone needs to check that out.”
Will Barton – B
Barton struggled a bit from the field, but he added five rebounds and six assists — five of those assists coming in the first half. He recorded zero turnovers as well.
Barton’s willingness to drive became a talking point of late. The latest update: he didn’t score at the rim but attacked the teeth of the defense and dropped off some last-second assists. He was more aggressive in New York.
Aaron Gordon – C+
Gordon shot just four times, recorded only two rebounds and one assist in 25 minutes of action. He picked up three steals and one block but faded into the background of this game. Quick foul trouble plagued him as well.
Monte Morris – B
This game didn’t call for 20-plus points from Morris. He knocked down four of the eight shots that came his way but mostly played the point guard position in a way that should make George Karl proud. He recorded five assists and did not turn the ball over—The Full Monte.
Jeff Green – B+
Green stepped into a three confidently from the right-wing and knocked it down. His other three buckets came in transition, where the 35-year-old veteran out-hustled and out-ran the competition. He got his hands dirty with five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks as well. Green defended well, and Nuggets social revealed a fun moment in the locker room when Michael Malone pump-faked him with the Defensive Player Of The Game Chain. Green played worthy defense, but the award went to someone else.
Davon Reed – A-
Michael Malone circled Davon Reed’s name a long time ago. He played on the Nuggets’ Summer League team, of course, and signed a training camp contract. When it came to potential G League callups, “It was Davon over everybody,” Malone revealed after the game. The Nuggets announced a 10-day contract with Reed Saturday morning, and hours later, he was playing against the Knicks. That’s how quickly this all came to fruition.
“You’re not coming up here to be a cheerleader, man,” Malone told Reed. “I’m going to play you.” Malone stayed true to his word, and Reed logged 24 minutes in his debut. Three of Reed’s four field-goal attempts came from distance, and he knocked them all down. He also recorded four assists, playing the game in a manner that earned both Malone’s and Jokić’s blessing. It was Reed who took the DPOG chain.
Zeke Nnaji – A+
Zeke shot five of nine from three-point range on his way to a career-high 21 points, which lowered his 3pt% on the season. He’s now shooting 17/27 from deep, good for 63%. In addition to the shooting, he also grabbed eight rebounds, displaying a skill set we’ve seen little of at the professional level. Nnaji just played the best game of his career.
“I’m extremely confident in my shooting,” Nnaji told the media after the game. As for that dreadful Summer League performance: “That’s history to me.”
Office Hours – L @ Orlando 12/1
It’s easy to dismiss any subpar JaMychal Green performance as bad, as that’s where the bar’s sat for most of the season. But he’s a capable player worthy of earnest analysis. Commenter ‘JackAttack’ spent more time on the evaluation than I did after the loss to Orlando:
I love the article, although I disagree with JaMychal green. He shot 2/5 (same as Jeff green) and knocked down his first 2, igniting energy. He was quiet the rest of the game, similar to Markus and Jeff. Although he had a few blown coverages, they weren’t as brain-boggling as the guards. I’m going to compare Will Barton, who shot the same percentage (40%). Barton also had bad turnovers and overall didn’t make a positive impact in the game, blowing coverage on more than a few possessions. I think jmyke deserves a C- or (imo) a C.
