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Monte Morris' key to success? Watching film of his teammates

March 23, 2022

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The Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray two-man game didn’t become arguably the NBA’s deadliest pick-and-roll combo overnight. The duo spent countless hours on the Nuggets’ practice court over the last five years learning one another’s game. Over time, through wins and losses, playoff triumphs and heartbreaks, the duo’s chemistry grew and grew.

But with Murray sidelined, Monte Morris has been Jokic’s prime running mate this season. He’s done his best to try and replicate the magic that Murray and Jokic made together.

Here’s how.

Morris dove deep into the film and studied the point guard he had spent his entire career backing up. He poured over the crunch time pick-and-rolls that Murray and Jokic ran to perfection. He watched how late in games, Murray would get the floor flat, send the Nuggets’ four-man to the dunker spot and the Nuggets’ other two wings to the corners which opened up the middle of the floor for Jokic.

Morris paid close attention to how Murray would sometimes set a screen for Jokic early in the shot-clock, allowing the MVP to catch the ball in space before cycling through another set of pick-and-rolls or dribble hand-offs between point guard and center. He examined the timing and angles of Murray’s backdoor cuts off Jokic in the high post.

“I’m trying to take pressure off Nikola and also trying to show him that he can have confidence in me to make those plays and make those big shots,” Morris said Tuesday. “I think me and Nikola’s chemistry has definitely grown. We’re just playing the two-man game and just not being predictable.”

The Morris-Jokic two-man game will never have the synergy that Murray and Jokic have. Of course not. But Morris has done his best impersonation. The two teamed together to help lead the Nuggets past the Clippers 127-115 on a night where six of Morris’ teammates scored in double-figures. Jokic finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals. Morris had 15 points, 5 assists and 0 turnovers. Aaron Gordon (16 points), Jeff Green (16 points), Bones Hyland (16 points), Austin Rivers (11 points), Will Barton (10 points) and DeMarcus Cousins (8 points) all had really good nights too.

It erased the stench from Sunday’s 20-point loss to the Celtics.

“I think we just knew that really wasn’t us against Boston,” said Morris. “They’re a good team, but I don’t think they’re better than us or even that many points better than us.”

While so many of Denver’s role players have navigated throughout a regular season of highs and lows — Gordon and Barton come to mind — Morris has been the Nuggets’ most consistent player from October through March. He’s shooting 39% from 3-point range, a number which is around Morris’ career average but that’s coming on 4.2 attempts per game. Morris has never attempted over three triples per game in his career until this season.

He’s been durable again and played in 67 of the Nuggets’ 73 games. Morris is also only averaging one turnover per game — a stupid number for a starting point guard averaging around 30 minutes — and hasn’t turned it over in his last 57 minutes across the Nuggets’ last two games.

As the Nuggets turn towards the playoffs, they’ve once again settled into their familiar identity. It’s the two-man game between their starting point guard and center. Jokic and Morris’ best game as a duo may have come earlier this month in the Nuggets’ 131-124 win over the Warriors. They linked up often.

If you squint, you could see Murray pulling off the same behind-the-back pass that Morris executed to get Jokic a paint bucket in the second quarter.

Morris has found his voice and his clutch gene with the Nuggets this year too. He’s taken Bones Hyland under his wing and is mentoring the rookie, much like Isaiah Thomas did for him his second year in the league. His game-winning 3 vs. the Warriors back in February is one of the defining moments of this Nuggets season.

The 26-year-old didn’t start at point guard in last year’s postseason for the injured Murray, but he closed plenty of Denver’s wins. Morris tallied 28 points and 5 rebounds in a Game 5 win over Portland, then closed out the Trail Blazers with 22 points and 9 assists in Game 6.

After a full regular season as the starter, he expects to be even better in the playoffs this time around.