Nuggets-Pistons Grades: Jamal Murray saves the day

The Denver Nuggets dominating the first half against the Pistons and then had to hold off Detroit down the stretch for a 95-92 win.

We grade every performance from the Nuggets with our Dynamic Player Rating (DPR), which takes into account 12 different statistical factors.

Note: for DPRs that are lacking context, our beat reporters are offering their scout’s grade.

Nikola Jokic (B) 71.09 — Jokic was spectacular in the first half and one half-court sequence, in particular, stood out. Jokic went behind his back, first with his left hand, then with his right in an effort to get around Thon Maker, then rolled to the rim after setting a pick for Gary Harris and faked a behind-the-back pass before lofting the ball off the backboard to Mason Plumlee. He also had a rare dunk in traffic and buzzer-beater to end the first half. He finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds. A deeper dive into Jokic’s stats took some of the shine off those highlights. He only registered a 41 eFG%, had a lower ORtg (87) than DRtg (91), dished out a season-low two assists, and was a minus-9. He took home a fitting grade for the Nuggets’ up-and-down game.

Jamal Murray (A-) 79.59 — Murray definitely didn’t get enough touches in the second half, but nailed two clutch mid-range shots to ice the game late in the fourth quarter. Our metric doesn’t take that into account though, rather rewarding the lead guard for his efficient 33-point night. Murray finished with a masterful 71 eFG%, accounted for a 133 ORtg and was a plus-12. He also added five assists, three boards, and had it not been for his three turnovers and 101 DRtg, his grade would’ve been much higher.

Paul Millsap (B-) 65.26 — Millsap’s shooting percentages really hurt him, as he only recorded a 25 eFG%. Still, Millsap had a solid night where he racked up a double-double with 10 points and 13 boards. His impact was still felt in 40 minutes, as the veteran forward dished out five dimes, adding a steal and a block. He was a plus-14 on the night. Millsap’s 91 DRtg was solid in a low scoring affair, but his 86 ORtg hurt him some in a somewhat quiet but impactful game.

Will Barton (C) 57.14 — Barton’s shooting woes were part of the problem, as the Pistons worked their way back into the game and the Nuggets became stagnant on offense. Barton scored 10 points on a 38 eFG% and didn’t record a basket in the fourth quarter. Barton did add value as a rebounder with seven boards and was also a plus-4.

Gary Harris (D-) 39.27 — Yikes. Harris hasn’t been at his best since returning from injury in the second half of the season but this marked a new low. 39.27 was Harris’ lowest DPR of the year. That’s what happens when you score three points and record a 30 eFG% while also adding only three boards and two assists. Harris also had a negative GmSc, was a minus-5 against Detroit and recorded a poor 48 ORtg and 104 DRtg.

Torrey Craig (D-) 35.51 — Craig barely avoided an F in a game where he was o-for-2 from the field in 14 minutes and added three rebounds. What saved Craig was a plus-3 in a game where his DRtg (101) was far from impressive and his 34 ORtg was downright miserable.

Monte Morris (C-) 50.92 — Morris was a steady presence off the bench with Malik Beasley out. His numbers weren’t spectacular, scoring six points and dishing out four assists in 23 minutes. He also recorded a 42 eFG% and managed a passing grade by turning the ball over just once.

Mason Plumlee (B-) 68.80 — Plumlee played a big role in 22 minutes, snatching up a 10-point, 12- rebound double-double. He also recorded a 71 eFG% and 140 ORtg. His 89 DRtg was also strong in a plus-1 outing with three assists and a block.