Nikola Jokić Turns in a Shocking Shooting Performance in Loss

Nikola Jokić – D

You might remember the first time you saw your parents make a mistake. Or your grandparents. The adults you looked up to and trusted. It’s a jarring experience. Your worldview melts away. Our heroes are not, in fact, infallible.

This includes Nikola Jokić, who’s virtually gone mistake-free over the last three seasons. There is no more consistent or efficient star in the game right now. That makes Wednesday night’s national TV performance so hard to wrap our minds around. Jokić shot 9/32 in the loss to the Clippers. He was as stubborn as his shot was wayward. Time and time again, he returned to the spot of the last miss, or no-call, hoping to force a different result.

Jokić shooting just two free throws on 32 attempts is noteworthy. It’s curious, of course. And it also played a direct role in Jokić’s rare case of tunnel vision. He wanted the calls. The right play took a back seat to what Jokić felt was right. We can give the Clippers some credit, too. Daniel Theis and Ivica Zubac were formidable. But in truth, many misses were shots from the paint. Shots Jokić almost always hits.

So what’s next for 15 and the Nuggets? Likely a reminder of what made this performance so remarkable in the first place. He is the best player in the game. He’s one of the best offensive players we’ve ever seen. And he’s assumed the responsibility of a franchise cornerstone. I wouldn’t want to guard him Friday night.

Jamal Murray – B+

Take two on the return of Jamal Murray. He logged nearly thirty minutes in the loss and played well offensively. He scored 23 points on 18 shots and recorded 6 assists. That last number should have been higher. He did a great job setting Jokić up. Bizarrely, it was Jokić who botched potential assists for his teammates this time around.

Murray could have been more successful with the bench unit, however. His return didn’t have the desired impact on the rotation. He couldn’t seem to take the reins. He either floated or grew stagnant along the perimeter. Murray also had a rough go defensively in the fourth quarter. Both Harden field goals came with Murray as the primary defender, and Leonard got the better of him a handful of times, too.

Michael Porter Jr. – A-

The Nuggets were hot out of the gate. Scorching hot. Porter was heavily involved, scoring 11 points on 4/4 shooting. It looked like a big night was brewing for Mike, and another long night was coming for the Clippers. Naturally, Porter got just one shot off in the second quarter. It was his lone miss, and Jokić cleaned it up anyway. Denver’s hottest hand couldn’t get another look as a big lead began to slip before halftime.

Porter stayed engaged and went back to work in the third. He scored 7 points on 3 of 3 shooting in nearly nine minutes. He was hot again. And so, naturally, he was barely involved in the fourth-quarter offense. That last part is tenable. Turning to Murray and Jokić to win a game is hardly a sin. But there’s a bottom line to Porter only getting eight shots when he’s made seven. He’s got to be more involved, whether that means playing with the bench, having something drawn up for him, or even Denver’s stars going further out of their way.

Aaron Gordon – C

It was too little from Gordon. Too little rebounding, playmaking, and physicality. His minutes went well. The starters could still have pulled off this win if not for disastrous bench play. Still, this is one to forget from AG.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – D

Pope scored 3 points in 34-plus minutes. He grabbed only one rebound. He was fine defensively. And he finished with three assists. But 3 points are too few, no matter how you slice it.

Reggie Jackson – C+

Jackson scored 14 points off the bench, including some timely threes. He’s prone to bouts of over-dribbling and loud mistakes, but that’s part of the deal when putting the ball in Jackson’s hands. He’s scoring enough to justify it these days.

Peyton Watson – B+

Watson impressed defensively again, this time on Paul George. George is such a smooth and skillful one-on-one scorer. His bag is like your aunt’s on a family vacation. It’s got everything. Discipline is key here, and it’s easy to imagine his hesitations and pump-fakes turning into fouls or blowbys. But Watson was as patient as he was locked in. He was tenacious yet disciplined. He is a remarkable defender.

Christian Braun – C

Braun provided about what you would expect offensively. He scored 8 points and grabbed five boards. He played hard. But he could have had a better night on defense. With Watson frustrating George, George eventually began hunting Braun via the switch.

Julian Strawther – F

With Murray back in the lineup, Justin Holiday slid out of the rotation. Strawther hung onto his minutes but didn’t do much to validate Malone’s decision in the loss. He finished scoreless while the second unit got trampled.

DeAndre Jordan – C-

The box score isn’t barren, but the positive impact wasn’t there. Jordan had some lowlights defensively.