DNVR Players Grades: the starting five whips

The Denver Nuggets entered Friday night’s game at home with the Boston Celtics on the heels of their most impressive win of the season. After a somewhat turbulent start, the Nuggets were finally trending up for the first time, and a win over Boston would only reinforce the notion that they’re on the other end of that slump.

Mission accomplished.

The 96-92 win came down to the final minutes, but the score doesn’t quite tell the full story. The Nuggets were rolling in the first half, and their starters dominated.

In 29 minutes, Denver’s starting five outscored Boston 67-47, shooting 51% from the field, 38.5% from three, and posting a +32 NetRtg. As a whole, Nuggets shot 44% from the floor and 25% from deep.

With that performance, the Murray-Harris-Barton-Millsap-Jokić lineup has played more minutes than any other in the NBA. It has a +16.2 net rating—112 ORTG, 95.8 DRTG—in 255 minutes.

The Nuggets held the Celtics to just 13 points in the first quarter, swarming on defense like an animated army of the dead. With two minutes remaining in the half, Boston had scored just 37, and the Nuggets looked well on their way to a blowout. But the bench struggles returned.

Not a single second-unit player finished with a positive +/- and they were on the court when a fourth-quarter stall-out began. The off-ball movement dried up, and players stared at each other on offense, waiting for someone to make a play as the lead slipped through their hands like sand. But the starters returned to the game, and eventually to form just in time to hold off the Celtics and hold yet another opponent below 100 points.

Boston’s star point guard, Kemba Walker, exited the game in the first half after colliding head first with teammate Semi Ojeleye. The Celtics’ medical team eventually called for a stretcher after Walker laid on the ground for around five minutes, and he was ultimately transported to a hospital with “concussion-like symptoms” per the team.

Honor Roll

Jamal Murray – A 

It was around this time last season when the Boston Celtics came to town, and Jamal Murray out dueled Kyrie Irving on his way to 48 points. It was, to that point, the quintessential Murray game–putting both his electric talent and sky-high ceiling on display. Much has changed one year later. Irving is out in Boston, and Murray barely resembles that player who chucked up a three as time-expired, hoping to hang that coveted 50-spot. Murray played another integral role in the win, but this time without coming anywhere near 50. He finished with 22 points, six rebounds, and five assists, playing some of the best defense of his young career. His steady play helped the Nuggets open up the 17-point lead in the first half, and he closed the game out with an icy fourth-quarter performance.

Nikola Jokić – A 

Nikola Jokić is beginning to look like himself again. In 35 minutes, the Big Man put up 18 points, 16 rebounds, and ten assists on his way to his third triple-double of the season—the 31st of his career, tying John Stockton at 12th on the all-time list. After the game, his mood was as light and his answers as transparent as they’ve been all season. That was the kind of play that breaths life into Jokić. The Nuggets got stops, turned, and ran, allowing him to start the break with outlet passes and play a vital role in the offense without needing to eclipse 20-points. He also finished with three steals and a block, and at this point, it’s time to acknowledge that Denver’s start on the defensive end is not possible if he’s not engaged and capable from the center position. 

At the start of the season, ‘Big Honey’ looked every bit the liability so many tried to paint him as last season. But he’s since flipped a switch, and he’s reminding us of a lesson we learned in last year’s postseason.

He’s a good defensive player when he wants to be. 

Paul Millsap – A-

Speaking of what is or isn’t possible on the defensive end based on personnel, I present to you, four-time All-Star, Paul Millsap. There is no world in which the Nuggets jump from 30th to 21st, to 11th, to now top-five in defense without Millsap. He’s lost his burst—if he ever had much–but hasn’t taken any step backward defensively, and he’s making a strong case for early All-Defense consideration. We expect defensive tenacity from Millsap, however. And last night’s game featured what’s been the biggest pleasant surprise of the season—his shooting. Denver’s resident ‘Dad’ is shooting 51.4% from deep this season. That’s 17.5% higher than his career average.

With 45 seconds left in the win, the Nuggets lead had been cut all the way down to three when Murray found Millsap wide open in the left corner. He drilled the biggest shot of the game.

Millsap finished with 14 points, ten rebounds, and two assists in 31 minutes.

Will Barton III – A-

I’m getting close to renaming the honor roll bracket after Barton III himself. In 33 minutes, Barton recorded 15 points on 50% shooting, while picking up five assists as well. But it wasn’t necessarily the offense, so much as his spectacular defense on Tatum that earned him this designation. Gary Harris and Millsap have been playing at an All-Defense team level—which comes as little surprise to the Nuggets diehards. Barton III, however, has been every bit as good on that end, and that surprises even his most devoted fans.

The Class

Gary Harris – C+ 

Gary Harris is worthy of early DPOY consideration, and he was excellent again in the win over the Celtics. But he scored just nine points in 33 minutes, hitting only three of his eight shot attempts and only recording just one assist. An interesting side effect to Barton III’s return to form is where that’s left Harris in the pecking order on offense. After expanding his game as a ball-handler and passer in 2017-18, he’s seen a dramatic downshift in his role. He’s struggling to thrive within the confines of what’s necessary.

Principal’s Office

The entire second unit.

Game Ball