DNVR Player Grades: wish granted

That’s what we’ve been clamoring for, I suppose. With a woeful Detroit Pistons team in town, the Denver Nuggets avoided playing down and kept their foot on the pedal for almost four quarters. They were focused, engaged, and in control as they picked up a 115-98 win, leaving folks like me with little to discuss.

For the second consecutive game, the biggest takeaway was the reshaped rotation and the staggering of Denver’s two best players. Jamal Murray spent time alongside Monte Morris in the second unit—a pairing that is proving to be beneficial for both parties—while at least one of Murray, Gary Harris, and Will Barton III was on the court with the bench for most of the game.

Nikola Jokić was almost nowhere to be found—but in the right way. The absence of any real pressure allowed Denver’s star to fade into the background, occasionally surfacing with on outrageous pass attempt from deep inside his bag. He was toying around.

Speaking of the bench, the best player on the floor for either team played 29 minutes off of Denver’s. And that’s all Jerami Grant needed to set a new career-high with 29 points. A strong performance from deep, some appearances in the dunker spot, and a few slithery finishes around the rim comprised the best scoring output of his life.

Also of note is Michael Porter Jr.’s 22 minutes. After the game, head coach Michael Malone explained he got on the 21-year-old for not playing hard enough in his last performance, which answers the question of why his leash has looked so short since returning from injury after the All-Star break. Porter Jr. responded in a big way on Tuesday night.

Detroit led briefly in the first quarter, but never by more than two, and once they lost it, they never saw it again. A switch to a zone defense in the second half caused Denver to stumble out of the gate, but they regained their balance and found their rhythm as they pushed their own lead to 20 points.

Let’s go to the grades:

Honor Roll

Jerami Grant – A

There was a time when Grant’s fit with the Nuggets looked as though it might only exist conceptually. The seamless transition of a capable role player we all envisioned didn’t manifest right away, but patience is a virtue, and The Elastic Assassin is finding a home in Denver. Grant scored 29 points in 29 minutes on 12-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-5 from deep. He was a threat in transition, he was a threat from deep, and a threat from the dunker spot. When necessary, he created points out of thin air with some slithery finishing around the rim. After the game, Jokić almost brushed off the performance, categorizing it as to be expected.

When a player arrives in Denver, there’s but one question they have to answer: how do they fit with the big Serbian?

We’ve got our answer for Grant.

Jamal Murray – A-

Murray’s stat line doesn’t do him justice for this performance. He scored 16 points on 12 shots in 33 minutes—a modest output—but he was in full control as a point guard. He finished with eight assists and just one turnover, and the assists were beautiful. Murray moved methodically, made quick decisions with the ball, and busted the Pistons’ zone defense by driving into its mouth and creating openings for his teammates. We’ve seen the best of him since returning from injury.

 The Class

Nikola Jokić – B+

Jokić only took eight shots en route to 16 points in just 27 minutes. It was a light dose of Nikola and a much-needed break for the best center of the world after January’s strenuous efforts. He finished with more turnovers than assists (5:4) in the win, a rare occurrence, but also best reflects his night. He was just trying stuff out there—completely unbothered.

Michael Porter Jr. – B+

Wonderboy is back. After a short hook in the win over Minnesota, Malone gave Porter Jr. 22 minutes in Tuesday’s win. He made the most of them, putting up 16 points and 8 rebounds on 6-of-9 shooting. Before injuring his ankle, MPJ was on a tear. He looked like he had stopped thinking so hard and started hooping again—the latter coming so naturally to him. We saw him relax and trust himself against Detroit after two tight and clumsy performances.

Gary Harris – B-

With less than three minutes remaining in the first half, Harris forced a steal and chased down the loose ball before corralling it, gathering, and leaping towards the rim, where he banished Svi Mykhailiuk to shadow realm forever. Harris’ best finish of the year elicited the best bench reaction of the year and set the tone for the rest of the night.

Initially, it felt as though Harris turned in a second strong performance on the offensive end, but in truth, that speaks more to how low that bar sits. He finished with just nine points on 4-of-9 from the field. Still, a made three, the strong finish at the rim, and three assists comprise baby steps in the right direction.

Principal’s Office

Empty.

Game Ball