Nikola Jokić – C
When Jokić is passive, and the Nuggets are rolling, it’s easy to praise his unselfishness and insistence on an egalitarian offense. When he’s passive as the game slips away, it morphs into a criticism. That may seem unfair, but it’s not inconsistent. It’s on Jokić to know when the game calls for his stamp. When to dictate — engineering runs or stopping the bleeding as required.
He doesn’t need my help reading the game’s flow, but he chose not to get involved to whatever extent he could, given foul trouble. He didn’t look at the rim enough and didn’t defend well enough, considering the energy conservation on the other end. Is this cause for concern? Of course not. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t frustrating, and even the back-to-back MVP is not immune to criticism.
Michael Porter Jr. – B–
The Porter minutes went better than you might expect in a 25-point loss. He continued his tear from beyond the arc, shooting 4 of 8 from distance again and helping propel Denver to a hot start. The trick for Porter, his teammates, and the staff is finding ways to keep him involved throughout the game. As the offense dries up in the third quarter or the Nuggets stumble over a zone defense, it’d be nice to see the best shooter on the team getting involved. He can and should be shooting more if he’s at 50% on eight attempts per game.
The defense was spotty, and he got into foul trouble, but the Nuggets’ most intriguing player is far more of a solution than a problem through four games.
Aaron Gordon – B
Gordon dropped 26 points on 12 of 16 shooting, and only two attempts came from distance. That’s a good approach from AG, who had perhaps the most exciting matchup of the night as he went toe-to-toe with Jerami Grant. The offense went well for Gordon, but it’s way too easy to score on him right now. He seems susceptible to blow-bys, and the Nuggets are getting crushed in one-on-one scenarios.
Kentavious Caldwell Pope – C
KCP didn’t have the touch in Portland, and Portland’s guards scored at will. He picked up five assists and capped himself at six attempts, but of all his games in a Nuggets uniform so far, this isn’t the one he’ll write home about.
Jamal Murray – C-
Murray kicked things off with a flurry to start the game, and the vibes were immaculate as Denver got off to a 14-3 lead. He scored 8 points on 3-3 shooting in the first quarter. He finished the game with 8 points.
Murray’s still catching up to speed, the ball sticking in his hands at times as he looks to make a play. That approach isn’t a hindrance when he’s in good form, but at the moment, the offense is searching for their identity with him on the court as he searches for where to insert himself. Denver could move him to the bench, but they’ve chosen to rip the band-aid off and put him back in his eventual role. That may pay off over time, but it could also cost them some wins.
Bruce Brown – C+
Brown played fewer minutes than Murray on a night that could have made a difference. Or the adjustment could have been futile since Anfernee Simons burned the arena to the ground anyway in the third quarter.
Christian Braun – C-
The rookie earned more minutes, but these minutes went more like you’d expect the rookie minutes to go. Portland attacked him and found success.
Bones Hyland – B-
Bones did some damage with the three-ball, letting it fly as Portland deployed a zone. He knocked down shots, but it sometimes feels like him vs. the world on the second unit. The best Bones minutes will come if he becomes a leader of a competent crew, though some of that is admittedly out of his hands.
