Grades: Big Three dominates, starters roll as Nuggets crush Thunder

The Denver Nuggets looked to rebound from their mind-numbing loss to the Washington Wizards by taking care of business in Oklahoma City Saturday night. They showed up ready for work this time. The Thunder never led as the Nuggets rolled to a 126-96 win.

The big three dominated, Will Barton and Monte Morris rebounded strong, and young RJ Hampton collected another soul in garbage time.

Let’s go to the grades:

Nikola Jokić – A

Jokić is shooting the ball more than ever at this stage in his career, showing a resigned understanding that his team needs him to play at an MVP level to be competitive right now. But on Saturday night, Jokić only had to shoot ten times as the Nuggets rolled the Thunder. He finished with a suitable line: 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists. Light work for the big guy.

After the game, he told the media he was pleased with the flow of the offense. He wants this game to serve as a blueprint of sorts for Denver. They don’t always have to post Jokić or run the two-man game between the stars. They can simply move the ball and find easy shots.

“We played (the) Denver Nugget basketball we used to play,” Jokić said.

Jamal Murray – A

Jamal Murray is back in form. There’s no need for qualifiers or caveats at this point. He’s playing at a level that satisfies the newfound expectations. Murray finished with 25 points on 9/15 from the floor and 4/6 from deep. His shot readiness behind the three-point line is a welcome sight, and the control with which he’s playing on offense draws a sigh of relief. He’s the player Denver needs him to be right now, and on Saturday night, he picked up his 25 alongside a thriving Jokić and a lava hot Michael Porter Jr.

It’s exceedingly rare for Murray and Porter to play well at the same time. Last time out against DC, the big three played well yet still lost as the reinforcements never arrived. It’s about as deflating a result as one could concoct for the Nuggets. Against the Thunder, we saw what it looks like when the rest of the starting lineup shows up to play. Denver dominated.

Michael Porter Jr. – A

Few people on earth get hot the way Porter Jr. does. His first quarter was electric. He scored 14 points on 5/6 shooting and 4/4 from deep. The Nuggets generated stops and had no trouble finding the bottom of the net. Everyone got in on the action, and Porter broke the camel’s back with his scoring explosion. The Nuggets opened up an early lead they’d never forfeit, and Porter remained locked in for the rest of the game. He doesn’t dominate for four quarters yet the way Murray and Jokić can. The scoring comes in waves, quick and hot, and then Porter settles in. What’s encouraging about performances like the win over the Thunder is how he remains committed to making an impact even as he returns to earth. We saw several ugly mistakes last night, but they didn’t outweigh his effort defensively. He’s working hard, he understands the urgency, and he’s playing well right now.

Monte Morris – B+

What a bounce-back performance from Morris. He struggled on both ends of the floor against Washington, having trouble guarding anyone. On Saturday night, he took the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander assignment head-on and did an excellent job containing OKC’s top threat. Morris finished with 13 points, three assists, and zero turnovers as well. Still, it was his defense that earned praise from Michael Malone after the game.

Will Barton – B+

Speaking of bounce-back games, how badly did Barton need this? He finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. That’s a vintage Barton line right there, the lines he used to put up as the third option alongside Jokić and Murray. Everyone is thrilled to see the big three play well together. Well, how about a 15-6-5 game from ‘Thrill’ to boot?

It’s just the Thunder, but you’ve got to nail the “get right games.” Barton and the Nuggets got this one right. After the game, he told the media he feels healthy and in shape.

“Everything with me is mental now,” Barton said of his struggles this season.

“When I don’t take myself out of the game, you see complete games. Sometimes I take myself out of the game — bullshit games. I can’t keep doing that. I’m in year nine. I can’t get frustrated no matter what the hell’s going on out there.”

Facundo Campazzo – C

Campazzo has never checked a scoreboard in his life. He was born with the score 0-0, and the next basket wins.

The bench struggled mightily in its only consequential stint. The starters opened up an enormous lead, and the second unit forfeited ten quick points. They settled in during the second half with the game already decided, and Campazzo played hard to the very end. He only knows one speed, and the interminable hustle almost earned him a dunk in an NBA game. Almost.

pic.twitter.com/NLTzLIn0lY

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) February 28, 2021

 

PJ Dozier – BACK

Dozier is back, and what a relief that is for anyone who cares about defense. Dozier looked a little sloppy in that opening stint, but he looked the part physically, and that was enough. Dozier has the tools to guard the perimeter well and the versatility to guard some wings in a pinch. That makes him one-of-one on this roster.

Zeke Nnaji – C

Nnaji played in roughly 15 minutes of the blowout and grabbed a career-high five rebounds.

Isaiah Hartenstein – D+

Hartenstein missed some ‘gimmies’ at the rim, only grabbed one rebound, and recorded more fouls than points scored.

RJ Hampton – A+

You’re playing in the final ten minutes of a blowout. I’m sure your coaches would like you to focus on defense, keep the ball moving, and play like you don’t know what the score is.

I would just like you to do this:

Sheesh… RJ Hampton with the quick change of direction with the between the legs to get by Isaiah Roby and then rises up for the dunk over Bazley pic.twitter.com/sl9ExVL75j

— Zach Milner (@ZachMilner13) February 28, 2021

Well done, RJ. And thank you.

Vlatko Cancar | Bol Bol | Markus Howard – Played

The clean-up crew took the court together in the fourth — the cherry on top of a rare complete performance.

Greg Whittington – Exists!

Greg Whittington does exist, and he took the court alongside the clean-up crew. We obviously can’t glean much from those minutes, but for what it’s worth, Whittington looks pretty big out there. He’s got a steep uphill climb to any real playing time, but at 6’8″, he at least fits the bill for Denver. Congratulations to Greg on his NBA debut.