Grades: Denver Nuggets roll, Will Barton doubles down

The ball was popping in its namesake arena Wednesday night as the Denver Nuggets steamrolled the Portland Trail Blazers 126 – 95. Virtually the entire roster played and contributed to the win, and the ball popped all night long: thirty-nine of Denver’s 45 field goals followed an assist. The starters looked crisp, and Will Barton III stabilized the bench in his return before destabilizing Nuggets twitter.

Let’s go to the grades for preseason game #2.

Nikola Jokić – A+

Jokić put up 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists in 25 minutes on 4/7 shooting. It was effortless. The big fella sees the code out there.

Paul Millsap – A+

Jokić gets an assist for this player grade, as his dimes propelled Millsap to a game-high 18 points on 6/10 from the field. Millsap struggled to finish Jokić’s highlight-worthy feeds last season, but against a porous Portland defense and with improved spacing in the starting lineup, ‘Dad’ turned back the clock and wreaked havoc from the dunker spot — even if he didn’t do much dunking.

Jamal Murray – A 

The game looks slower for Murray. That’s my biggest takeaway from his strong performance against Portland. He showed out in the first quarter and showed us he’s still feeling some type of way out there, but Murray wasn’t forcing the issue. He went for 16 points on 5/10 shooting, adding 5 assists and 5 rebounds. He racked up on too many turnovers, finishing with 4, but he had his fingerprints all over a hot start that propelled Denver to a blowout.

Will Barton III – B+

Barton looked a touch slow but surprisingly confident in his return. He went to the rim aggressively on more than one occasion, and added a new dynamic to a second-unit that struggled in the preseason opener. Barton is both a playmaker and a finisher, his presence alongside two guards a more difficult problem to solve than the trio of Monte Morris, Facundo Campazzo, and PJ Dozier. All was well in Denver until Barton finally sat down with the media via zoom well after the game ended.

“I have no plans on being a sixth man,” Barton said. “I have no desire to be that at all.”

If you’re having trouble understanding Barton’s perspective, consider that he has another contract around the corner, one more chance at a major payday, coming on the heels of the best seasons of his career. After wearing multiple hats for Denver across the years and putting in serious minutes out of position, Barton accrued multiple injuries. Those injuries seem to define his reputation today more than his strong play. Still, there’s no denying Barton missed an easy opportunity to show his teammates and the fanbase he’s serious when he calls a championship his top priority this season.

This is Michael Malone’s music. Stay tuned.

PJ Dozier – A-

Dozier’s shooting will be something to watch this season, particularly after Barton’s comments. If Barton gets his wish, Dozier’s ability to stretch the floor and put points on the board could become paramount for the second unit. The good news is he looked great against Portland, shooting 3/6 from deep and 5/8 overall on his way to 15 points.

 Gary Harris – B+

Harris struggled offensively yet posted the highest +/- on the team in part due to his tenacious defense. Does that sound familiar? That might just be who Gary Harris is, and that might be just fine.

Monte Morris – B+

Morris looked rock solid alongside Dozier and Barton Wednesday night. He recorded four assists, and get this, didn’t turn the ball over once. Morris took only 6 shots, but he hit half of them, and the second unit rolled.

In Monte we trust.

Michael Porter Jr. – C+

Porter’s makes are so loud, like the halftime buzzer-beater he drained Wednesday night, but he missed some open looks too. So far, if Porter wants to be more involved in the offense, it appears he’ll have to get himself involved. Off ball cuts and crashing the boards might be his best bet at finding a rhythm and filling up the scoring column for now. He’s too talented to stand and wait for the ball.

Isaiah Hartenstein – A-

Welcome to the Hartrock Cafe. Don’t like the nickname? Buckle up because I’m all in. Hartenstein made quick decisions, kept the ball popping, and finished efficiently in his limited opportunities to score. Plumlee gets a bad rap at times in Denver, partly because he and his agent are All-Finesse First Team, but Hartenstein appears well suited to fill his shoes. He may not be as strong a passer as Plumlee, but through two games he’s looked a quick and decisive cog in the offense.

Facundo Campazzo – B-

Campazzo didn’t play until the fourth quarter when he injected Denver with a shot of adrenaline needed to finish off a complete performance. He checked in and fired up two ugly looking threes but fired off three gorgeous passes. He turned garbage time into showtime.

Bol Bol – B+

Bol played fewer than six minutes, which might be a bigger story if not for how well he played in those minutes. 10 points and 6 rebounds in a heartbeat, and he did it all while looking severely disinterested.

Bol the enigma.

Vlatko Cancar – A-

Five minutes, two shots, five points and a whole lot of good vibes from Cancar. He looks well out of the rotation at this point, but he’s not one to complain about opportunity.

Markus Howard – A (N/A)

How well did the game go? Even Howard got in on the fun, sinking a filthy stepback three in garbage time.

I’m handing out A’s like a communications professor today. The Nuggets just played their best basketball.