Grades: Denver Nuggets kick off road trip with win over Orlando Magic

The Denver Nuggets flew to Orlando to kick off their road trip against the Magic with the trade deadline looming. The Nuggets are active and competitive in the trade market — particularly so for Orlando’s Aaron Gordon. If he was treating that game as an extended audition, it didn’t go well. Gordon scored just 13 points on 6/13 from the field, and Denver led for nearly the entire 110-99 victory.

Nikola Jokić was transcendent, Michael Porter Jr. had his back, and PJ Dozier was great off the bench.

To the grades:

Nikola Jokic – A

Outside of three unforced turnovers in the third quarter, Jokić was phenomenal. He finished with 28 points, 15 rebounds (4 OREB), 10 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block on 65% from the field, 50% from deep, and 100% from the free-throw line.

Poor Nikola Vučević was in the torture chamber. Jokić reached deep into his keca and pulled out a custom-sized L for anyone in Orlando who still cares to watch.

This move by Jokic!

28 PTS | 15 REB | 10 AST | 65% FG pic.twitter.com/hNaZTqV2vJ

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) March 24, 2021

As first observed by Katy Winge on Twitter, Jokić is now averaging: 27.1 ppg (7th) 11.3 rpg (7th) 8.6 apg (6th) 1.6 spg (6th).

He is the only player to break the top 8 in all four categories.

Jamal Murray – B-

Murray didn’t shoot the ball well until the fourth quarter when he dropped 10 points on six shots and helped seal the deal. That stretch salvaged an otherwise underwhelming performance. The Nuggets nearly blew a 24-point lead in the second half thanks to turnovers and stagnant offense. Some of those turnovers stemmed from ugly, one-on-one play. Murray and Barton were the main offenders in that regard.

Michael Porter Jr. – B+

Porter scored 18 points on 14 shots — only one of which was ill-advised. He rose for a three-throw jumper in transition with teammates flanking him on the wings and bricked it. The rest of his looks were either open threes, good looks at the rim, or deadly mid-range shots out of a DHO. Porter did an excellent job of cutting hard to the rim in both transition and broken possessions. Jokić appreciates, sees, and rewards those cuts. They had a nice rhythm Tuesday night. Despite not shooting the three well for three quarters, Porter buried two in the final three minutes and change.

Will Barton – C+

Barton scored 10 points on seven shots in the first half, but the wheels fell off from there. He shot 2/7 from the floor in the second half and turned it over twice. Nonetheless, he was on the floor to close the game.

Paul Millsap – B-

Millsap played fewer than 18 minutes and only took two shots. But he looked good defensively, even turning back the clock to deny some fools at the rim. Getting swatted by Millsap in the year 2021 can’t be a good feeling.

PJ Dozier – B+

The Nuggets received 28 high-quality minutes off the bench from PJ Dozier. He played well defensively, shot the ball well on his way to 14 points, and did a good job attacking the glass. He closed the game in Millsap’s stead alongside the remaining starters. That group looked great.

Facundo Campazzo – B-

Campazzo didn’t shoot the ball well. He rarely does. However, he did record six assists and two steals, and things went well for Denver when Dozier, Campazzo, and JaMychal Green were on the floor.

After the game, questions from an international reporter revealed a fairly substantial development for the rookie. Facu turned 30 yesterday, and he celebrated the day before by attending a virtual ceremony in his honor at his old basketball club. The stadium of the Municipality of Córdoba Club is now known as “Facundo Campazzo.” I am not joking.

You’ve accomplished nothing in this life until someone names a building after you. Remember that.

JaMychal Green – B-

Green’s box score doesn’t tell the story of a productive performance, but that’s what he turned in. Like Campazzo and Dozier, the Nuggets won his minutes.

Zeke Nnaji – C+

Nnaji looked a bit overwhelmed to start the final frame. Despite grabbing six points and five rebounds in his nearly 12 minutes of playing time, the Magic made runs with him on the court.

Game Notes:

Monte Morris missed yet another game (quad). Malone hinted at an impending return last week, but Morris has yet to be upgraded on the injury report. We still have no timetable on a possible Gary Harris return.