Coming into the season, the Denver Nuggets were projected to have one of the best benches in the NBA thanks to a roster that features at least 12 players who all could earn playing time on almost every team in the league. Malik Beasley is likely to be a popular free agent this summer yet he finds himself on the outside looking in most night. Even Torrey Craig, who started 11 playoff games for the Nuggets last April, has collected 13 DNPs so far this season. But as the Nuggets reach the midpoint of the season, the injury bug has jumped up and bit them, forcing them to test their roster depth.
Wednesday night’s comfortable win over the Charlotte Hornets wasn’t noteworthy for the 21-point lead en route to a 100-86 victory. Those things were to be expected against a Hornets team that has now lost six in a row and 12 of their last 14 games. What was special about this win was the new cast of characters who contributed. Michael Porter Jr. scored 17 points in his first eight minutes on the floor and finished with 19 overall. Jerami Grant, who is filling in for the injured Paul Millsap, added 14 points. And PJ Dozier made his Denver Nuggets debut in style, tossing in 12 points in 13 minutes.
Also noteworthy was Jamal Murray who crumpled to the floor late in the 2nd quarter after landing awkwardly and rolling his left ankle. He left the court unable to put any pressure down on the ankle and after the game Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said that Murray’s ankle was “rather large” and that the swelling looked “kind of scary.”
So with Murray set to join Millsap and Gary Harris on the injury list, the next-man-up Nuggets will have to find contributions from new places.
Let’s get to the grades.
Honor Roll
PJ Dozier – A+
In 18 games with the Windy City Bulls this season, Dozier has averaged over 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists per game while running the pick and roll (PnR) to perfection and playing great defense along the way. Nuggets fans have taken notice of the giant box score numbers. 35 points one night, then 32, 8 rebounds, 8 assists the next. What could this guy do at the NBA level?
Wednesday night, we found out. And it turns out, his game translates to the NBA very nicely. Dozier was a shadow on defense, cutting off driving lanes and using his length to disrupt passing lanes.
Offensively he looked like a seasoned vet, not a two-way player fighting for a chance at a contract. He knocked down 2 of his 4 three-point attempts, dished out 2 assists, and grabbed 4 rebounds including a few through traffic. He scored off of cuts, PnRs, and spot ups while getting the ball to Nikola Jokic in the post with ease, something Denver has struggled with at times. In short, it was a perfect debut for Dozier, and perhaps a sign of things to come now that Murray is expected to miss time as he recovers from that rolled ankle.
Michael Porter Jr. – A-
The first 8 minutes of Porter’s night was a masterpiece. We’ve already seen Porter shoot 11 for 12 a few weeks ago against the Indiana Pacers and 8 for 10 two games before that against the Sacramento Kings. Just last game Porter caught fire with 6 of 8 shooting. So when he started the game going 7 for 8 and scoring in every way possible, the thought at least crossed my mind that perhaps Porter is the greatest scorer the game has ever seen.
Okay, maybe that was overkill. But Porter has a rare gift for putting the ball through the hoop. He’s a natural. He floats above the court on the fast break, winding his way to the basket like a border collie on an obstacle course. He slithers around screens to find narrow openings to the basket, combining fluid bursts of speed with smooth body control and soft touch. And then there’s the jumper that looks like it is pulled toward the net with magnetic force when he finds himself in the zone.
MPJ has 20 point per game talent right now. His poor recognition of the defensive end has slowed his progress but he’s beginning to show signs of growth on that end of the floor, only occasionally standing out for blown assignments or missed rotations. His growth curve is proving to be fairly steep, and his upside sky high.
The class
Mason Plumlee – B+
The only thing that kept Plumlee off of the honor roll was a missed reverse dunk that would’ve blown the lid off of Pepsi Center. Instead, he’ll have to settle for a B+ behind 15 points and 5 rebounds in just under 17 minutes.
Nikola Jokic – B
Jokic seems to be enjoying his new, more slimmed down frame. There are times when Jokic will try a quick move that gives off the impression of a monster truck weaving in and out of traffic. It’s smooth, if not quite graceful. Perhaps that “speed” will come in handy down the line. In this game, Jokic seemed content to set the table more than attack the basket and as a result, his stat line was a balanced 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists.
Will Barton – B-
Barton’s stat line doesn’t jump out. 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists are all pedestrian for Thrill but his game-high +18 and ability to take on several different roles as he bounced between filling in alongside the starters and leading the bench were enough to get him a mention on this list.
Nurse’s Office
Jamal Murray – B-
Murray was playing a pretty average game by his standards before leaving the game with that twisted ankle. He was just 2 for 7 from the field including 0 for 2 from behind the arc but he made a handful of impressive passes and attacked with conviction.
The injury could be something of a small blessing in disguise so long as he is able to recover quickly and fully. Murray had been dealing with a few nagging bumps and bruises but is far too tough (or stubborn) to sit out a game. Maybe a mid-season break was exactly what the doctor ordered. Again, provided a few games off will lead to a full recovery.
Game Ball
