Grades: the growing legend of Nikola Jokić

The Denver Nuggets should have lost their game with the Memphis Grizzlies Monday night. There are no two ways about it — given the effort turned in without Jamal Murray and Monte Morris, they should have lost that game. But the MVP plays in Denver, and MVPs don’t care for what should happen. They take what should be, what might be, and they shape it how they’d like. MVPs bend the game to their will, and Nikola Jokić forced this game to a knee in the fourth quarter and overtime periods.

Final score: 139-137 (OT2)

Let’s go to the grades:

Nikola Jokić – A+

Memphis knows how they want to guard Nikola Jokić. The personnel has changed over the years, but their approach largely remains the same. Facundo Campazzo started in place of Monte Morris and Jamal Murray Monday night, and much like Memphis used to do with Torrey Craig, they completely ignored him off the ball. Denver essentially played four on five offensively, and Ja Morant set up shop in the paint. It was less of a double team and more of safety planted in the middle of the field.

Jokić played well all night, but he flipped a switch late in the game that he couldn’t reach early. It’s not that he wasn’t aggressive. It’s that Denver could barely get him the ball. Poor decisions and egregious turnovers limited his touches initially, but the Nuggets knew where to turn when they needed a lift. Down 12 with just under four minutes to go, Denver needed a bucket in the worst way. Jokić scored or assisted on their following 11 points to force overtime. It took two overtime periods to hammer the final nail into the coffin. Jokić scored or assisted on 16 of Denver’s 23 points across both periods.

He finished with 47 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists on 20/31 from the field. Sure, he turned it over seven times. But he also grabbed seven offensive rebounds. I’d say the turnovers are an easy pill to swallow in an otherwise masterful performance.

On a more personal note — one some of you have context for and others won’t care for — this is why I moved to Denver. I knew nothing of this city and this lifestyle. Historically speaking, I knew almost nothing about the Nuggets. Practically speaking, I had no idea where I would live or how I was going to pay my rent. But I knew I had to be here. I had to be as close to this action as possible. Like many of you, I’ve been watching professional sports closely for my entire life. I’m no basketball guru, but I do know what greatness looks like, and I know we’re witness to nothing less here in Denver.

Michael Porter Jr. – A-

Porter played pretty well again, which doesn’t quite match up with the first impressions he left. He looked out to lunch in the first quarter — on both ends — but collected himself and played steadily before getting hot late. Porter finished with 21 points and 7 rebounds on 7/13 from the field, including 5/8 from deep.

One note on what was lacking, which to be clear, is not an intended knock on Porter — we didn’t see much of the Jokić-Porter two-man game. In fact, with the game on the line, Jokić turned to Barton as his partner in crime.

Will Barton III – B+

That is Thrill. You don’t want the gut-wrenching turnovers from a role player late in a winnable game? Fine. Neither do I. But I do want Barton to be capable of taking and making shots like the game-tying, off-balance three he drilled to send it to double OT. It all comes from the same place. That’s just Thrill. And that’s the difference between him and your average role player.

Barton finished with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. That’s a pretty solid night. And while some terrible choices and a long stretch of futile layup attempts marred the line, he redeemed himself when it mattered most. As I did in the Porter grade, it’s also worth pointing out that Barton ran the two-man game with Jokić down the stretch. He’s hardly Murray out there, but he got the job done alongside his star teammate. “That’s MVP shit,” Barton told Jokić during a stoppage in play. “That’s why you’re the MVP.”

Aaron Gordon – C-

Gordon only logged 21:37 and sat for the most critical moments of the game. Unfortunately, we never get an explanation after the game as to what went into that decision. We can, however, look at the minutes Gordon played, and the truth is he did not play well. Neither Campazzo nor Gordon could hit an open shot, and Memphis knew it. Without an obvious matchup for him on the other end of the floor, his value didn’t pop the way it has since joining Denver at the deadline.

Facundo Campazzo – C

Campazzo was no good, really bad, just plain awful in this game — right up until he wasn’t. The international legend turned up the heat defensively in the fourth quarter and overtime periods, and the bottom line is Campazzo flustered Ja Morant when it mattered most. Campazzo only hit one shot all night, but it was a big one. A three from the right corner cut the lead back to seven in the third quarter. Two things can be true: 1. Campazzo nearly cost Denver this game. 2. Campazzo helped Denver win this game.

You can call him Facu.

Vlatko Cancar – D+

Cancar was first off the bench in a night full of weird substitutions. He played 10:33 total. Those minutes did not go well for Denver.

JaMychal Green – B-

The bench bigs played well. Let’s start with Green, who knocked down 4 of his 5 shots on his way to 12 points and 5 rebounds. He played the power forward position in Gordon’s stead for stretches. Malone got weird with it, and Dozier filled some of those minutes as well, but we saw some critical minutes with Green in that role. He’s a much better shooter and did a better job spacing the floor than Gordon.

Paul Millsap – B

Millsap played significantly less than Green but put up a very similar line. Millsap also scored 12 and grabbed five rebounds while missing just one shot. Quality and limited minutes from Millsap — you love to see it.

PJ Dozier – B-

Dozier was a mess on one end, but his defensive prowess and bizarre role of half-point guard/half-forward led to 37:16 on the court anyway. Denver took their first stab at a comeback with him on the floor in place of Campazzo, and it worked pretty well. He then joined the starters in the overtime periods as well, taking Gordon’s minutes.

Shaq Harrison – B

Harrison technically debuted with the Nuggets already, but these were his first meaningful minutes. And wow, was he thrown into the fire. Harrison saw time in the fourth quarter and (very briefly) in the overtime periods. He played excellent defense and did his best to stay out of the way on the other end, where he looked like a fish out of water in a new system.