Murray and the Nuggets Fall Short in Dallas

Nikola Jokić – C-

Leadership is a learned trait for Nikola Jokić. He didn’t enter the league with lofty aspirations or expectations. It took time for him to grow from an adolescent jokester to a reluctant leader and, eventually, a responsible franchise cornerstone. He’s assumed the mantle and all that comes with it. Now and then, however, old habits resurface. In Dallas, Jokić threw the task of victory aside, distracted by a boiling frustration with the officiating. He lost focus, and one could argue he lost the game for his teammates.

Did Jokić have a point? Of course. He’s rarely rewarded with free throws for his grueling work in the paint, and the Mavericks clobbered him. Plus, he’s certainly earned the right to approach any game how he’d like. That typically works in Denver’s favor anyway. But we grade Jokić against the standard he sets, and with his maturation comes a new bar for his mental fortitude. These types of games are decreasingly common for an increasingly responsible player. Unfortunately, he fell short of his mark in Dallas.

Jamal Murray – C

You are familiar with the script. Murray struggled to hit shots in the first half but switched gears as the game grew tighter, and the lights grew brighter. He scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as Denver surged to re-take control. We’ve seen this countless times in the last two seasons. The Nuggets have a late-game switch.

You can consult your script for the rest here: the Nuggets worked it back to a tie game, then took the lead after a monster 3 from Murray. Luka tied it back up, but Denver controlled the ball and their destiny. The deadliest two-man game in basketball took their time as they worked for a quality shot. Murray found a spot, rose for an open mid-ranger, and…missed. Moreover, the Nuggets began their final action too early, and Murray took his shot with over two seconds remaining. The kings of the clutch failed to execute, and Kyrie Irving sent everyone home with a 21-foot left-handed hook shot. I think we’re reading from the wrong script.

Aaron Gordon – C+

AG put together a flattering box score. He was active and effective from the dunker spot. But Gordon’s production was marred by a couple of poor choices. The biggest was a lapse of focus during one of the night’s most significant possessions. Denver led by three with 25 seconds remaining. The Mavericks looked to inbound the ball, and inexplicably, AG got caught underneath a screen. Luka Doncic sprung open for an easy 3 to tie it.

MPJ – B

Porter opened strong, helping the Nuggets compete despite a horrid start from Jokić and Murray. MPJ scored 12 points in the first 12 minutes. How he scored them was particularly encouraging. He let contested 3s fly without a worry. He drove confidently to the rim and flushed home a filthy left-handed dunk. He was Denver’s best player in the first half. Unfortunately, Porter’s production dried up in the third, and the reinforcements hadn’t yet arrived. The Nuggets took a nosedive out of halftime.

KCP – B-

Pope roared to life in the fourth alongside Murray. He scored 7 points down the stretch, and we’d have celebrated them had Denver not bungled the final possession. Pope is a capable shooter with more to offer than most stalwart defenders.

Reggie Jackson – C

The Nuggets are onto something. Splitting Jackson and Murray has buoyed Jackson’s production. That said, it doesn’t matter which lineup he plays in—he will be a liability on defense. That stood out against the Mavs, as seemingly each of his field goals was followed by a mistake on the other end.

Christian Braun – B

From the Department of Silver Linings: Braun played confidently off the bench again. He scored 10 points on 4/5 shooting, including another stepback bomb. But it was rough for the bench, particularly on the glass. Denver’s second unit combined for four total rebounds. Derrick Lively, the Mavs’ backup center, doubled that. Denver lost this game for several controllable reasons, and rebounds are at the top.

Peyton Watson – D+

Denver needed Watson to play up a size in this one. His two rebounds weren’t enough. Watson shot 1/4 from the floor and didn’t make his usual impact defensively. He would have been wise to dedicate himself to the glass.

The Mavericks stagger Luka with their bench. He often feasts against a rotation like Denver’s. Watson was that unit’s best hope of slowing him, but in truth, that hope was futile. Luka gave everyone the business.

Justin Holiday – F

Holiday was also on the receiving end of that business. He stood no chance against Luka and finished scoreless in eight minutes.

Zeke Nnaji – C

Nnaji doesn’t solve rebounding problems. He’s too small to fend off traditional bigs. You might wonder, then, why he played over DeAndre Jordan. The answer is Luka. It would only have been easier for him to score. Nnaji played hard, but Denver got crunched in his minutes.