Unlike Paul Millsap’s Game 5 scuffle with Marcus Morris that changed the trajectory of the Nuggets and Clippers playoff series two seasons ago, JaMychal Green’s second-half dustup against the Mavs on Monday didn’t lead to an eventual victory.
Instead, the Mavs put together a 26-18 run that clinched Dallas’ come-from-behind win after double-technicals were handed out to Green and Dorian Finney-Smith early in the fourth quarter.
But Michael Malone stills appreciated the fire that Green showed. He’s always applauded Green’s passion and willingness to ruffle an opposing team’s feathers. On Wednesday, Denver’s coach compared Green’s ability to raise a team’s collective spirit and fortitude to Charles Oakley, one of the NBA’s all-time enforcers who Malone grew up watching in New York with the Knicks.
“Some people in life enjoy confrontation. Some people shy away from it,” Malone said. “JaMychal and I have a lot in common.”
Green’s toughness has always been a significant component of his game. It was part of his makeup going back to his college years at Alabama, and Green’s ferocity helped him break into an NBA rotation for the first time with the ‘Grit and Grind’ Grizzlies in 2015-16, a group that matched his passion and fire.
The incident with Finney-Smith is already the second major kerfuffle Green has engaged in this year. Green and Hassan Whiteside were ejected from Denver’s fourth game of the season in Utah after the two got into it late in the fourth quarter.
“It’s just natural. I can’t really explain it. I blackout and just react,” Green said. “It’s just always been my mentality coming up. I’ve always been the underdog, so I’ve always had to fight for everything.”
The Nuggets need Green’s toughness. It was a key factor that led to Tim Connelly and his front office placing a priority on re-signing him this summer in free agency. But Denver also needs Green to start producing in the boxscore. Green’s shooting just 19.2% from 3-point range this season (5-26) and has nearly as many turnovers (21) as baskets (29). The 31-year-old has never been a go-to scorer and the Nuggets don’t want him to be that, but Denver’s second unit really needs his 3-pointer to start dropping.
There’s reason to think Green’s shooting will turn around. The eight-year veteran has been a model of consistency throughout this career. Green has shot at least 38% from distance in four out of the last five seasons.
“I’m just going to keep getting my reps up,” Green said. “It’s going to fall. It’s still early in the season. I’d rather be like that now than later on.”
Regardless of his shooting, Green’s always going to play with an edge. It resonates with Malone and his teammates and is a key reason why Denver’s enforcer has stuck in rotation through 14 games.
“Confrontation, it kind of excites me,” Green said. “It kind of turns me up in the game. For me, I love it.”
Monte Morris’ offense is coming at the right time
Monte Morris was one of the last two players on the floor following the Nuggets’ Wednesday practice. He got up jumper after jumper and shot after shot with Denver assistant coaches after a light practice but heavy film session that centered around the Nuggets’ poor second half in Dallas.
It was the first time that Morris has been able to go through individual player development work since Nov. 3 in Memphis due to nagging knee soreness, which was triggered earlier this season vs. Dallas when Luka Doncic fell on his right leg. Morris appeared on the Nuggets’ injury report with right patellar tendinopathy last week but didn’t end up missing any games. He’s been getting consistent treatment since and playing in games without practicing much.
“I’ve just been fighting through it and playing through it,” Morris said. “You know me, I’m a tough guy. I don’t really like sitting out unless I just can’t go. I’ve definitely been playing through stuff.”
The Nuggets are fortunate to have an ironman like Morris manning the point right now. It’s been a familiar tune in Denver over the last few seasons, but once again the Nuggets are getting hit with injuries. Malone sounded optimistic on Wednesday that Will Barton could play Thursday vs. the 76ers after missing Denver’s last two games with low back soreness, but he’s officially listed as doubtful for the matchup. Zeke Nnaji (ankle) and Michael Porter Jr. (back) are still out. There’s still no official update from the team on when Denver expects Porter to return. He was at Ball Arena Wednesday but wasn’t on the court or around the team when the Nuggets ended practice. Bones Hyland, who tweaked the same left ankle twice in Dallas, is expected to play Thursday.
Without Barton and Porter — two of Denver’s top-3 scorers — vs. Portland on Sunday, Morris turned in 15 points on 7-12 shooting, 7 rebounds, 4 assists to zero turnovers, and 3 steals. When both Barton and Porter also missed Monday’s back-to-back in Dallas, Morris tallied 17 points on 8-13 shooting to go with 8 assists.
“He’s feeling the situation, and what this team needs at that moment,” Malone said.
Morris’ last two outings have been two of his four highest-scoring games this season. On the year, he’s averaging a career-high 11.4 points and 4.1 assists per game. Like most of the Nuggets’ roster, Morris has struggled from distance and is converting just 29.6% of his triples but is shooting 51% from his sweet spot in the mid-range. That slots him in the 95th percentile league-wide, per Cleaning The Glass.
He’ll need that jumper to keep falling if the Nuggets want to keep pace with their next two opponents. The 76ers and Bulls bring the NBA’s 2nd and 11th best offenses respectively to town, but Philadelphia will still likely be without Joel Embiid who’s been in COVID protocols since Nov. 8.
“It’s just a make-or-miss league for me,” Morris said. “Four for 13 against at Atlanta, shots I just made (two nights ago). I’m worried more when defenses are doing stuff where I can’t even get looks off. When I’m able to get my looks off, it’s all about me stepping into them with confidence and making them.”
