DNVR Player Grades: the Nuggets' offense is stuck in the mud

Jamal Murray dribbled around a Nikola Jokic screen and took two hard dribbles with his right hand before riffling a one-handed bounce pass to Denver’s big man barreling towards the basket.

For one of the few times in the Nuggets’ 105-96 loss to the Lakers, the Murray-Jokic pick-and-roll surfaced, and late in the fourth quarter a much-needed Jokic floater from five-feet out got Denver to within three points of the Lakers with just over four minutes remaining in regulation.

The Nuggets trimmed the Lakers’ margin to one a few possessions later on a Jokic free-throw, but Denver couldn’t close the deal. The Nuggets went scoreless over the final 2:23 of regulation falling to the Lakers in an all too familiar fashion. Denver’s offense once again struggled to produce.

The Nuggets shot just 40.7% from the field and 6 of 29 from 3. Jokic struggled offensively for a fourth-straight game and over his last four outings is averaging a paltry nine points per game. Jokic finished with 13 points, five rebounds, and eight assists but shot just 4 of 12 from the field.

The defense from the Nuggets was there. Denver kept within striking distance of the Lakers throughout, trailing by 11 at the break. The Nuggets gradually closed that gap over the second half but couldn’t string together enough baskets and stops over the final few minutes of the fourth despite holding to the Lakers to 20 points in the final period.

LeBron James finished with 25 points, six rebounds, and nine assists. Anthony Davis tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Let’s go to the report card.

Honor Roll

Paul Millsap – A

Millsap posted the Nuggets’ best stat line of the night, finishing with 21 points on 8 of 14 shooting to go with eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block. He played with an energy Tuesday that was badly needed, igniting the Pepsi Center crowd on a couple of occasions including a highlight-reel put-back dunk in the second quarter over Anthony Davis. He was as good as you could have expected defensively when matched up on Davis and LeBron James, and Millsap also hit 2 of his 3 triples. He’s now shooting exactly 50% from 3 this season.

The Class

Jamal Murray – B-

Like he’s done for most of this season, Murray set the tone for Denver on offense. He scored a team-high seven points in the first but then shot just 5 of 12 over the rest of regulation. Like the rest of the Nuggets’ roster, Murray couldn’t find his rhythm from 3. He went o-3 from three-point range on the night.

Gary Harris – B-

Harris is the clear fifth option in Denver’s starting five this season, and maybe it’s time to adjust what’s expected from him on the offensive end on a night to night basis. Against the Lakers, Harris tallied nine points on 4 of 9 shooting, but his best moment of the evening came on a clutch 3 from the corner right in front of the visiting bench that got the Nuggets to within two points early in the third. With the defensive impact he’s made this season you hope for more from Harris on the offensive end but perhaps you shouldn’t expect it.

Principal’s Office

Nikola Jokic – D-

It’s a crowded principles office tonight headlined by Jokic who struggled on the offensive end of the floor again. Jokic went 1 of 3 from the field in the first half and hit his only field goal across the first and second quarters on the Nuggets’ final possession before the break. Jokic admitted postgame that he in fact is in a slump — no kidding. He’s now shooting a career-low 45.2% from the field and 22.5% from 3. Jokic also missed a bunch of looks he normally makes — or at least made last season — around the rim especially in the second half.

“Right now I’m struggling, so coach, he’s a smart guy, he’s not going to give the ball to the guy who’s not making shots,” Jokic said. “I’m cool with it. I’m good.”

That’s not exactly what you want to hear from your franchise player.

Will Barton – D

Barton’s performance Tuesday was a microcosm of Denver’s team-wide offensive struggles. Barton shot 2 of 11 from the field and made just one of his eight attempts from 3.

The Bench – C

Michael Malone has been patient with his bench group this season, trying out different combinations and lineups. Few have worked. The current go-to second unit featuring Monte Morris, Malik Beasley, Barton, Jerami Grant, and Mason Plumlee which logged five minutes against the Lakers fared well, playing Los Angeles even when on the floor. But the Nuggets’ all-bench lineup with Hernangomez in for Barton struggled, as did most of the lineups Tuesday where Denver mix and matched some of its starters and bench. Expect Malone to experiment with different looks on his second unit going forward.