Grades: Denver Nuggets Drop Magic in Reunion

Nikola Jokić – B-

Jokić faced significant resistance from Wendell Carter Jr., who embraced the lenient whistled afforded to physical defenders when checking the reigning MVP. Jokić couldn’t buy a call or, for some stretches, a bucket down low, ultimately reverting to the uninspiring trigger-happy approach from deep. He also nearly matched his seven assists with five turnovers. It was a nonchalant performance. As a team defender, Jokić played well, but Carter Jr. gave him buckets.

Aaron Gordon – C+

Gordon was bit by the turnover bug, eclipsing his three assists with five giveaways. He was strangely passive as a scorer against his old team and did not factor into the win the way one might’ve expected in a reunion game.

Jeff Green – B

Jeff threw a half-ironic, half-cathartic fist pump into the air after he drained a three from the right corner in front of the Nuggets bench. He’d been bricking corner threes all game, and finally, he got one to fall. He knocked down his very next attempt from the corner, too. Green posted 17 points to the delight of Michael Malone, who said that Jeff’s been playing at a high level lately, citing his great game in Toronto as well.

Will Barton – B

Barton was aggressive, taking a team-high five free throws, but capped himself at eleven shots and knocked down six of them. His effort waned throughout the game, and his body language after missed threes was poor, but his efficient scoring helped the starters cruise.

Bones Hyland – B+

Bones saw the floor well and played a controlled game against Orlando despite turning it over three times. He was excellent with the starters and shot well from deep. Hyland is a much more dangerous catch-and-shoot threat than off the dribble despite his penchant for the latter. All three of his makes from deep were assisted, and two bricks came off the bounce.

Facundo Campazzo – C+

Campazzo ran point for a bench unit that played well for much of the game before the floor fell out, and Orlando nullified a lot of their hard work with a devastating run. Facu played his beloved irritant role, flopping, chirping, and fouling all night. He logged five assists and didn’t turn it over.

JaMychal Green – C+

JaMychal led all bench players with seven rebounds, blocked a shot, flashed some chemistry with Cousins, and set hard screens. He played hard, and even if he didn’t shoot well, he played well enough.

Austin Rivers – D+

Rivers went scoreless in nearly sixteen minutes off the bench.

Bryn Forbes – B+

Forbes led all bench players with sixteen points. He shot 3 of 4 from deep. After the game, he talked about the difficulties of playing in new lineups, reminding us he’d been in Denver for less than a month. Sometimes guys don’t know the plays, Forbes admitted. Sometimes they don’t know where to stand. They have a lot to work out, but the bench is trending in the right direction.

DeMarcus Cousins – B+

Cousins played a great game. He was so active on both ends of the floor, and while he turned it over three times, he helped spark the bench’s relative success. He rolled hard to the rim after setting a pick for Campazzo, who found him with an open lane. Cousins threw it down with ferocity, inspiring the crowd and surprising Michael Malone, who quipped he hadn’t seen Cousins roll like that in years. Cousins was less impressed, reminding the media he’d done it about a month ago in Milwaukee. Cousins was also credited with his bone-crunching screens and mused about the lost art. “Shit evolves,” Cousins said. “Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad.”

Gary Harris (who does play for the Magic) – B+

Harris grabbed four steals, shot well, and threw down a thunderous dunk. He was all smiles as he greeted former teammates and coaches and gave Jokić a big hug before they left the floor.

“He holds a special place in all of our hearts,” Malone said of Gary before the game.