Grades: Denver Nuggets answer the bell without Jamal Murray

One down. Seventeen games left to go. The Denver Nuggets passed their first test of the new season without Jamal Murray Wednesday night. With the news of Murray’s ACL fresh on the mind, Michael Malone, Nikola Jokić, and the rest of the Nuggets had the task of setting the tone for what follows. Will Denver roll over and accept their fate? Or will they recognize the opportunity in front of them still? They chose to embrace that opportunity with the Miami Heat in town. Virtually everyone played well in a collective and impressive emotional response. The Heat battled in the first quarter, but the Nuggets overwhelmed and pulled away for the 123-106 victory in Ball Arena.

Michael Porter Jr. played a terrific game, Jokić remains King, and the bench found success behind a group effort.

Let’s go to the grades:

Nikola Jokić – A

One of the best passers we’ve ever seen dipped deep into his bag Wednesday night. Jokić only hit six of his 14 field goal attempts for 17 points, but he recorded 11 assists and grabbed four offensive rebounds on his way to another triple-double. It’s the 15th triple-double of his season and the 56th of his career. That’s the ninth most in NBA history.

Jokić did Jokić things all night long. He saw the help coming through the eyes in the back of his head. He no-look tipped a rebound into an outlet pass to start a fast break. He found Porter with this reality-shattering sling.

Not sure what is crazier, the angle of the release or the fact that he grazes Robinson's ear to sneak the pass through. pic.twitter.com/QtBimdoDLP

— Adam Mares (@Adam_Mares) April 15, 2021

One of One.

Michael Porter Jr. – A

Porter played a phenomenal game. He came out of the gate playing to win, and he and Jokić kept Denver afloat in a tight first quarter. Porter shot the lights out, but he impressed first with his defense. That first frame might’ve been the best we’ve seen Porter play on that end. He got caught sleeping early but eliminated his mistake and buckled down. His rotations were crisp, and he protected the rim with confidence. The kid was flying.

Offensively, he was in a zone. Porter staggered with the bench in Murray’s stead in the second half. He was the last starter to check back in after helping the bench bust the game open. That formula makes sense on paper — the bench group lacks an actual shooter, and Porter fits the bill. It all worked according to plan on Wednesday. Porter finished with 25 points (10/14), 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

Aaron Gordon – A-

The afro is gone, and Gordon’s form is back. Silver Surfer finished with 16 points (7/11), 9 rebounds (5 OREB), 3 assists, and some solid defense. Gordon is a versatile player, and this line serves as a good blueprint for how stepping up in Murray’s stead should look. They don’t want him to be someone he’s not. Gordon can’t fill that difficult shot-maker hole. Instead, they need him to be all he can be as best as he can. His impact on the glass and underrated passing ability helped Denver secure the blowout.

Will Barton III – D+

Barton struggled in a way none of his teammates did Wednesday night. He looked out of focus and disengaged. He couldn’t hit a shot, and he fell asleep more than once on defense. Denver will need more from him without Murray. Not his best.

Monte Morris – B+

If a team must lose their starting point guard, it’s a privilege to fall back on Monte Morris. Morris is the ultimate floor general with a complete understanding of what it means for him to fill those shoes. He won’t try to get his shots up. Morris will try to keep the ball moving, and that’s what he did Wednesday night. He only recorded two assists but should get much more credit for the 33 they reached as a team. Morris played a near-flawless game in a contained role.

Facundo Campazzo – B+

Guard that man! Campazzo’s hot shooting from three continued with Miami in town. He knocked down 2/4 from deep and recorded five assists as well. The bench looked great, and Facu looked great with the ball in his hands.

PJ Dozier – A

That’s the Dozier game. That’s who he can be and precisely what Denver needs from him. Dozier played terrific defense and also made an overall impact on the other end. He took and made his open shots, he refrained from forcing the issue, and he recorded four assists.

JaMychal Green – B

Green’s stretch of rotten play continued in the first quarter. He looked lost and as wont to foul as our old friend Isaiah Hartenstein. But something clicked for him going forward. Green knocked down some threes, and you could practically see the weight lifted from his shoulders. For the first time in a long time, he hit a rhythm, and he rode it. Green shot 4/5 from deep on his way to 17 points off the bench.

Paul Millsap – B-

Millsap couldn’t hit a shot but still turned in quality minutes alongside Green. The duo defended well, and Millsap did a good job filling in the gaps. He didn’t play much, yet managed to corral five rebounds and dish out three assists. Everyone in the second unit looked comfortable.

Clean-up Crew (Markus Howard, Zeke Nnaji, Vlatko Cancar, Bol Bol) – Played

It’s not a blowout if this crew doesn’t take the floor together. Ironic and scattered MVP chants echoed weakly throughout Ball Arena as The Best Show in Garbage Time did his thing. Bol scored six points in 2:36 on the court.