DNVR Player Grades: Game 3 slips through Denver's fingers

After the Denver Nuggets led wire-to-wire over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals, the prevailing narrative was that they caught the Clippers sleeping. The latter is prone to let up games and hadn’t appeared to take Denver seriously all season. What a surprise it was to learn that Game 3, in which the Clippers showed up and took their best swing, was the Nuggets’ game to lose. And what a gut punch it is that they obliged.

The Nuggets let one slip away as they fell 113-107 Monday night.

The first quarter looked a lot like the series opener, in which the two teams looked evenly matched. Nikola Jokić, who was questionable for the game after spraining his right wrist at some point in Game 2, looked as good as ever. He dropped 10 points on 4/6 shooting, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists in the first 12 minutes of action. He was unstoppable and might have pushed the Nuggets out to an early lead if it wasn’t for Paul George. George went off for 10 points of his own, including two three-pointers. The Nuggets trailed by one.

What was different from Game 1 is what happened in the next 12 minutes. The Nuggets held the Clippers to just 24 points in the second quarter, scoring 27 of their own, and pushing their lead to a game-high 12 points. Michael Porter Jr. finally got into a groove and led all scorers in the quarter with 10. But Denver’s inability to close quarters strong and put their foot on their opponents’ necks reared its head. The Nuggets turned the ball over three times and were outscored 12-2 in the final 3:30 of the half.

The Nuggets would get another chance to blow the game open. Jokić exploded again, dropping 14 in the third quarter, including three bombs from deep. The lead crept back up towards double-digits, but roughly halfway through the quarter, the offense stalled, and the quality of shots dropped drastically. Several ill-advised threes killed the momentum, and George got hot again. The Nuggets won the quarter, but they didn’t close it, and their grip on the lead grew slippery.

There’s a handful of reasonable explanations for the loss. Jamal Murray was nowhere near the level he’s capable of playing. Grant missed some open looks that he’s hit all season. Head Coach Michael Malone left Nikola Jokić on the bench for a minute too long in the fourth. They were perhaps one of those factors away from stealing Game 3. But that extra minute cost them. Murray’s poor play cost them. Jerami Grant was wide open from the left corner when he took the most crucial shot of the game with 3:15 remaining. He missed, and it cost them. The Nuggets lost the final quarter by 10, and Game 3 slipped through their fingers like sand.

Credit where it’s due. The Clippers turned up the defense in the fourth, and Paul George turned in a spectacular performance. The Nuggets lost Game 3, but for those who enjoy a good silver lining, it was indeed theirs to lose. The Clippers were supposed to remind us they’re in another league Monday night. What we learned instead is that the Nuggets can run with this team.

Let’s go to the grades:

Honor Roll

Nikola Jokić – A

So close to a Jokić masterpiece. The big man turned it over seven times Tuesday night and failed to close a winnable game as the Clippers dared anyone else to beat them. Those are the only two knocks on what was an otherwise superb performance. Supposedly Jokić sprained his shooting wrist in Game 2. I certainly believe the injury report. I’m just not seeing any evidence that it’s affecting him out there. He finished with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists: what a gutsy, First Team All-NBA caliber performance. He just needs a little help next time.

The Class

Michael Porter Jr. – B

We got the entire MPJ experience in Game 3. We saw both poor decisions and great efforts on defense. We saw Porter bury a couple of jumpers, and we saw him air-ball a three. We saw a brutally mismanaged fast break, and we saw him banish Montrezl Harrell to the shadow realm.

This Michael Porter Jr dunk: pic.twitter.com/pFan0KgE7t

— InsideHoops.com NBA (@InsideHoops) September 8, 2020

Porter was good, not great, but he’s getting closer to putting his fingerprints on a playoff win. We expect so much from the rookie that it’s hard to remember how little he’s played, and the rate at which he’s learning.

Gary Harris – B

Harris scored 10 points, recorded 6 assists and 4 steals. This dude is a ridiculous defender — we could do without the unwarranted heat checks from deep, however.

Monte Morris – B

Morris shot 4/5 from the field and recorded four assists in 18:24 on the court. He hit some timely buckets and is finding his rhythm as a jump shooter.

Jerami Grant – C+

His missed opportunities down the stretch will overshadow another strong performance on defense. Grant could have delivered a win, and he didn’t, but the Nuggets were in that position in large part due to his efforts on the other end of the floor. Grant played a team-high 42:13 in Game 3 — exactly as much as Kawhi Leonard. The heavy workload on defense might explain why he’s missing open shots he’s hit all season.

Paul Millsap – C

He’s been so much better than in the opening round, and yet, these performances are so quiet.

Millsap scored 11 points on 5/7 shooting but was a step slow on defense for most of the night.

Jamal Murray – C-

Murray grabbed 4 rebounds, dished out 9 assists, and played well on defense for the second time this series. That has all the makings of an excellent Murray game, but he couldn’t put the ball through the hoop. He was 5/17 from the field.

A C+ game from Murray probably gets the job done in this one. How will he respond in Game 4?