DNVR Player Grades: choke job in Sacramento

It was a tale of two halves in Sacramento for the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night as they let a road win slip right through their hands, falling to the Kings in overtime by a score of 100-97.

The first half featured more stellar defense from the league’s best defensive team through 16 games, and the first quarter featured something we haven’t seen all season.

Gary Harris went off in the opening 12 minutes, dropping 18 points and setting the tone for what looked like a potential runaway win. The starters dominated, and while the bench struggled offensively, they were generating stops, pushing the pace, and keeping the lead seemingly out of the Kings’ reach.

Harris looked confident, a win looked likely, and yet another game in which the Nuggets held an opponent under 100 points was a virtual lock. But they play two halves and four quarters in the NBA. The Nuggets have yet to receive that memo.

The Nuggets were outscored 27-18 in the third quarter, 23-15 in the fourth, and 10-7 in overtime as the Kings roared back to steal a win. Twice, the Nuggets had the ball with an opportunity to either end the game or extend it at the buzzer. Both times, Jamal Murray failed to get a shot off—the first ending in a blocked shot on a desperate layup attempt after dribbling through a double-team, the second ending without a shot attempt at all as Murray dribbled under the hoop down three with nowhere to pass the ball.

Honor Roll

Gary Harris – A-

Harris’ has made the honor roll before thanks to his elite start on the defensive end this season. But tonight he’s also here because he finally found a rhythm on the offensive end. ‘First-Team’ finished with 18 points in the first quarter, and 25 on the night, shooting 50% from the field and not turning the ball over once. For most of the game, Harris or Barton locked up Buddy Hield—though he finally unlocked his offense late in the fourth, scoring eight straight for the Kings in a crucial stretch. Harris’ 25 points, three steals, and two blocks weren’t enough as both he and the team fizzled out in the second half, wasting his outstanding start to the game.

The Class

Malik Beasley – B

Beasley was one of just two bench players to hit double figures tonight, scoring his 11 points in 20 minutes on the floor. Beasley shot 4-of-8 from the field, hit all three attempts from deep, and recorded three assists without turning the ball over. He kept the bench above water in the loss.

Mason Plumlee – B-

Plumlee hit three of his four shots in 16 minutes on the court and picked up eight rebounds. Yet again, juxtaposition revealed a stark difference between Plumlee and Jokić’s energy. The former was flying around, with the second unit, determined to help the second unit degenerate stops and run the floor. The latter looked exasperated at best.

Will Barton III – C+

Barton III has spent much of the young season on the honor roll, but he couldn’t find a rhythm in the loss. He was 1-0f-6 from three, 6-of-15 from the field, and while he did pick up 12 rebounds, he turned the ball over five times. Malone has depended heavily on Barton III so far, and he logged 40 minutes again on Saturday night. But this wasn’t Barton’s best night.

Jerami Grant – C 

Grant was the other bench player to score double digits, recording 12 points and five rebounds. He was 4-of-9 from the field in 32 minutes but failed to record an assist, a block, or a steal. Grant was on the floor down the stretch of the game for the entirety of overtime but failed to make an impact in Millsap’s absence.

After the game, Michael Malone answered a question regarding that decision on the Altitude TV broadcast. He called it a “coaches decision” and did not elaborate.

Principal’s office

Nikola Jokić – D+

Nikola Jokić wasn’t good enough or interested enough to secure a win for his team. He was 3-of-11 from the floor, with five of those field goal attempts coming in just the fourth quarter—he missed all five. The body language was brutal, never more so than during the two opportunities at the buzzer. On the botched play in the fourth, he set a screen for Murray and slipped it as both defenders collapsed on the young guard. Murray never got a pass off, much to Jokić’s apparent dismay. He wasn’t able to redeem himself with a third game-winning shot as he never touched the ball on either possession.

Jamal Murray – D+

Murray has been so much better this season, elevating his floor and tailoring his game to better suit Denver’s needs. In seasons past, Murray’s miserable shooting nights were highly detrimental to the team, as he needed to fill it up to make a positive impact on the offense. That hasn’t always been the case this season as he’s helped Denver win games as a playmaker and willing defender. On Saturday night, Murray resembled the player we thought had outgrown, hitting just six of his 16 shots and ruining the two most important plays of the game. Some of the blame falls on Jokić for his disinterest. Those who stood idly and watched Murray’s work bear responsibility as well. But a good deal falls on the young Canadian tonight. He played a poor game.

Paul Millsap – D+

Millsap scored only four points on four shots in 20 minutes on the court. He sat down the stretch and for the entire overtime period. Millsap played an uncharacteristic game, securing just two rebounds and looking surprisingly sloppy in his decision making. He’s been crucial to the Nuggets’ success so far, but he also played a significant role in this loss.