Denver Nuggets Grab Rare Win in San Antonio

Nikola Jokić – A

After destroying the Spurs in Ball Arena, the Nuggets played the same opponent on the road. That’s a tricky proposition in its own right and even more daunting considering Denver’s dismal record playing in San Antonio. It’s an easy game to lose unless your best players put their feet down and decide otherwise. Jokić did just that Monday night. He missed some bunnies yet still scored efficiently on his way to 26-8-10. More importantly, he brought it defensively in select moments, best represented by his two steals, three blocks, and multiple deflections.

Jokić helped seal the win and the A with some vintage two-man action in crunch time. He’s got his dance partner back in Murray, and they dazzled down the stretch.

Jamal Murray – A

There are so many encouraging signs in Murray’s play lately, perhaps none more so than his rediscovered chemistry with Jokić. Murray’s up to speed running a pick-and-roll, looking as canny and crafty as ever. The passing is so confident, saucy, and on-point, even when finding the tightest windows in the game’s tensest moments. For too long, we watched defenses prepare themselves for the inevitable Jokić post up when it mattered most. On Monday night, we watched a defense unable to decipher where and when the damage would come as Murray and Jokić picked them apart. The Nuggets are back in touch with a staple of their identity.

Michael Porter Jr. – A

Michael Porter Jr. turned in a fantastic performance, yet still watched from the bench as Bruce Brown and the starters closed out the win. And he’s just fine with that. Porter looked as pleased as anyone in a Nuggets uniform as his teammates sealed the deal, another sign that he’s more committed to winning than his initial reputation suggested. And that commitment was equally apparent on the floor. Despite a tough stretch defensively in the second quarter, Porter played as hard as any Nugget. He took and made a healthy dose of shots within the flow of the offense and crashed the glass on seemingly every jump shot. He even picked up a couple of assists.

Porter logged his 30 minutes quickly, seeing little rest before Brown took over. He ran out of gas by the time the substitution came, and the substitution yielded positive results, so Porter remained on the bench despite seemingly earning the right to close. Malone praised his professionalism after the game.

Aaron Gordon – B

This team will win many games if key players continue to accept their roles and make their respective sacrifices. AG deserves a lot of credit for finding room to make an impact while leaving room to let the big three do their thing. He limited himself to only five shot attempts again, picked up five rebounds, dished out five assists, and tacked on four steals for good measure. He recorded zero turnovers.

KCP – A-

Kenny Pope is yet another Nugget buying into the bigger picture. With each corner three and steal, he places another feather in the cap of GM Calvin Booth.

Bruce Brown – C+

It was a rough game for Brown offensively, yet he still left his mark. In an ode to our short-lived appreciation for Shaq Harrison, I bestow the nightcrawler likeness on a new fan favorite. As if he’s teleporting, Brown covers 2-3 players on any given possession. He makes virtually every rotation asked of him. Even some no one asked him to.

Bones Hyland – C-

The bench won’t survive unless Bones takes and makes some tough shots. That unit also won’t survive if Bones can’t protect the ball. We saw plenty of both outcomes Monday night. Hyland also struggled mightily on the other end of the floor.

It’s a somewhat predictable result after his firework show in Ball Arena. It’s a long season, and Hyland’s task as he matures in the league is to make a winning impact both at home and away — whether he’s dancing or not.

Jeff Green – C–

Despite him logging 18 minutes, I logged very few notes on Jeff Green. It’s like that for him sometimes.

DeAndre Jordan – C+

The bar is set laughably low for backup centers in Denver, and despite my laughing at the signing in free agency, Jordan’s clearing that bar so far. He’s earned praise even at the risk of overstating his impact.