DNVR Player Grades: Nuggets locked into series with Jazz

The Denver Nuggets fell short of a seeding game win over the Clippers Wednesday night. Or, depending on your perspective, they came up clutch in the 124-111 loss — locking themselves into the 3-seed and a favorable first-round matchup with their rivals, the Utah Jazz. Whether Malone intentionally threw a game, or simply opted not to injure his roster any further by pushing for a virtually meaningless win — as he told us he would do before these games got underway — the result is the same. Should these series run chalk, the Nuggets know their path to the Western Conference Finals.

Many months ago, during the regular season, Jerami Grant showed some of his worth as an individual defender by making things tough on Kawhi Leonard. This iteration of Nuggets basketball hasn’t had an answer to the question of guarding elite wings out West, let alone a good answer — not until the Grant acquisition anyway. It’s becoming increasingly clear that matchups will dictate any division of playing time between him and Paul Millsap. The Clippers present one of those matchups that call for more Grant, and he obliged Wednesday night with his best performance in the bubble.

The starters presumably entered that game knowing they wouldn’t play in its conclusion, yet rather than phoning it in, they turned up the heat on defense. Jamal Murray was game for a handful of size disadvantages, particularly some tenacious efforts while guarding Kawhi Leonard, and Jokić looked engaged as the two offensive superstars set the tone for a solid first-half effort. The Clippers, not holding back at all as they sought to clinch the 2-seed, were held to just 50 points in the first half. Much to Michael Malone’s chagrin, those wheels fell off entirely in the second.

As expected, Malone pulled his starters in the fourth, but the magic from the fourth quarter against the Lakers dried up. The Clippers kept their starters in and their foot on the pedal to the end, prompting a predictable tirade from Malone post-game, in which he ripped into his squad for their porous bubble defense.

The formalities are nearly behind us. The meaningful games are just around the corner. In the meantime, we have one more look at Bol Bol to tide us over, and a small-miracle to pray for as Will Barton III and Gary Harris have yet to take the court.

Let’s go to the grades

Honor Roll

Jerami Grant – A

In 28 minutes off the bench, Grant scored a team-high 25 points on 9/14 shooting. He was 4/7 from deep, hit 3/4 from the line, and even pulled in 6 rebounds. What is most impressive about his game is how he got his points. Left open from deep? Free money. Cutting to the rim? Too easy with Jokić. Out in transition? He dropped the hammer. Grant is a specimen and one that fits neatly into the longboi identity. The matchup problems he might help to create alongside Jokić and Michael Porter Jr. are mouth-watering. The way he’s learning to play alongside Jokić and finding himself within this offense is a story to watch as the seeding games wrap up.

Michael Malone on Jerami Grant's defensive versatility: "Jerami's role is going to be more pronounced as we move into the postseason."

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) August 13, 2020

Nikola Jokić – A-

Thinking Jokić is phoning a game in only to realize he is dominating without breaking a sweat is officially my pastime. In 28 minutes, Jokić dropped 17 on 7/11 from the field, corraled 7 rebounds, and dished out 13 assists. I genuinely believe that’s something close to his ideal stat line, and in the case that this group sticks around and stays healthy longterm, this 13 assist thing could become routine.

The Class

Torrey Craig – B- 

Craig started, scored 10 points off the bench on 50% shooting, hit 2/4 attempts from deep, and grabbed 5 rebounds. His motor is never in question, and on this particular night, his shots also fell — which, for QB1 Jokić, is like finding 5 bucks in his pocket on laundry day.

Micahel Porter Jr. – C+ 

If the Gary Trent Jr. matchup was a thorn in his side, then I don’t have an adequate metaphor to articulate the test Paul George and Kawhi Leonard present for Denver’s budding young star. This will be life for MPJ moving forward, not just factored into opposing game plans, but at times the focal point of them, and continuing to draw tough matchups. In 25 minutes, he scored only 11 points on 4/10 shooting and 0/4 from deep.

That three-point shooting is the root of his dip in production over the last two games. His shot doesn’t look so automatic at the moment, but I’m under the impression he’s more likely to hit 4/7 than go 0/4 on any given night. Keep shooting, Michael.

Jamal Murray – C+

Speaking of tough matchups — Murray won’t find many easy buckets against this Clippers team. Murray took 7 threes, an encouraging number in its own right, but he only hit 2 and was 3/8 from the field all told. That said, he showed off some fancy passing on his way to 6 assists, and in my opinion, rose to the challenge on defense in the first half.

Bol Bol & Keita Bates-Diop – C+

The two combined for just 15 minutes of playing time, yet 13 points on 6/8 from the floor. The end of the bench unit didn’t have the juice to push the Clippers to the brink, but every chance we get to see Bol is a joy, if not important. Also of note: KBD has done what he can to ingratiate himself with the coaching staff and fanbase in minimal time on the court.

Principals Office

Paul Millsap – D+

Denver’s Dad of the Year looks like he’s running on empty. He’s had a terrible restart to the season offensively, and his defensive impact might be dampened by that matchup dependent division of playing time between him and Grant. If Grant’s playoff role is to be “more pronounced,” as Malone articulated, one can reasonably assume that means Millsap’s will be more limited. In the meantime, I cling to a belief that more than any player on the roster, Millsap’s holding back. 

Monte Morris – D+

Morris had nothing for the Clippers. In 20 minutes off the bench, he scored just 6 points, recorded only 2 assists, and was responsible for a turnover.

PJ Dozier – D+

Dozier isn’t afraid of the moment. If we’re keeping it a buck, he might do well to dial back his eagerness, just a touch. The young guard isn’t gunshy, and couldn’t resist chucking up a handful of ill-advised looks. He finished the game with only 6 points on 3/10 shooting.