Grades: Nuggets Sputter Out in Fourth Quarter

Nikola Jokić – B

Jokić went for it. He was, as it turned out, running out of gas, but he wanted the run on national TV, and he went for the win in his fourth game in five nights. Like several of his eight missed threes, he fell short, a symptom of tired legs. He forced the issue from deep as his typical dominance in the post was too taxing. He was great to open up his stint in the fourth, engineering an admirable run to pull a scheduled loss within striking distance. But tired legs are often joined by a tired mind, and the two harsh realities compounded, resulting in uncharacteristic turnovers down the stretch.

There was a brief flicker of hope before the clutch after Jokić forced in a remarkable left-handed hook shot, where it seemed another monster-triple double and season-defining win were both within reach. I allowed my mind to wander to the MVP award and Embiid’s missed opportunity just hours before. It could have all been his, but alas, it shall be decided on another night. In the end, we’ll remember this legendary run from Jokić. And we look forward now to what comes next. You never know what to expect when he takes the court.

Monte Morris – B

If the Nuggets did pull this one out, while Jokić would have been the story, Morris would have been the hero. He was terrific in the fourth, scoring nine points on six shots, and almost lifting the big fella on his shoulders. He and Jokić represented the only hope, and I walked away from that game even more impressed with Morris. He’s been so good in an elevated role.

Jeff Green – C+

Green was slow to close out and corral some loose balls, but he also grabbed four offensive rebounds, which is about a month’s worth of offensive rebounds for Uncle Dad. Ultimately, the Nuggets could have used more energy from him on defense.

Aaron Gordon – D

AG looks like he’s running on empty, which is less an excuse and more an unfortunate reality. Denver needs him down the stretch and in the playoffs, and he’s been unreliable for the better part of a month. It’s been a minute since we’ve praised his glove-on-hand fit with Jokić, or since our jaws have dropped at his defensive prowess. I’ve no doubt he can be that player at his best, but he must scrape some utility from the bottom of the barrel while they wait for the reinforcements to arrive.

Austin Rivers – B+

Never has a box score told us less about performance. Rivers shut Curry down, which, again, you don’t know by looking at the lines. Curry played a spectacular game and won this thing in the third quarter. But it’s remarkable how much of that damage occurred with Rivers on the bench. Kerr threw Curry out against Denver’s second unit, and Steph snacked on poor Bryn Forbes. The dam broke the second Rivers left the court. If you’re looking for a meaningful takeaway beyond the admirable effort, Rivers has done this multiple times now against Golden State. He’s a legitimately good option for one of the most electric players in league history.

Bones Hyland – B-

Hyland was spectacular in the first half, and then the wheels fell off for the entire second unit in the finale. It’s an excellent example of why he’s such an intriguing player heading into the playoffs. What Bones did to open the game — shaking himself free, running the show, setting the table for teammates — Denver needs that in the postseason. When things got hairier in the second half, he looked a lot like the rookie he is, perhaps not yet trustworthy in the postseason. The latter is more than reasonable at this stage in his career. I’m more encouraged by the former than anything else for now.

JaMychal Green – C

Green wasn’t terrible by any means, but he wasn’t as helpful as he’s been lately, and Denver could have used a little more.

Bryn Forbes – F

Forbes couldn’t buy a bucket, and he’d probably pay a healthy sum for a redo on his minutes guarding Curry. I’m not sure if that would change the result, though.

DeMarcus Cousins – C+

Cousins played the fewest minutes of any rotation player and picked up another technical. He did a good job using his size to bully his way to nine points and draw some fouls, but he turned it over three times and only grabbed three rebounds.

Davon Reed – C

Reed may have captured lightning in a bottle with that inspiring defense on LeBron James all those weeks ago. Since then, true forwards have bullied him. He looks overwhelmed in the path of athletic and bigger wings. He might be more of a two-guard, and an unclear answer to this question may play a role in him fighting to tread water in the NBA so far.