The Denver Nuggets Turn the Tables in Minnesota

Nikola Jokić – A+

It was reasonable to call this a legacy game for Nikola Jokić. Jokić is on a trajectory that few have ever dreamed of. He has more in common with the legends of history than his peers, and the legends are supposed to come through with their backs against the wall. It was only unreasonable to expect failure.

Jokić has re-calibrated his floater zone offense and found the pressure points in the Wolves defense. He’s dangerous again on the roll. He’s winning the cat-and-mouse game with Rudy Gobert — comfortable deciding when to shoot or pass, even at the last moment. The Nuggets have also triggered cross-matchups through stops and by having Aaron Gordon bring the ball up the floor. That’s allowed Jokić and Murray to dance in space or for Jokić to attack Gobert one-on-one. No one in the world can stop that.

The Wolves’ set defense is a formidable foe. They seem almost impossible to beat. But the playoffs are about more than every team’s best punch. You have to be able to execute the backup plans. Jokić and company put the league’s best defense in flux, and the three-time MVP is merciless when your weaknesses are exposed.

Aaron Gordon – A+

Jokić is up against a defense built to make his life hell, and Aaron Gordon is up against a defense built to expose him. But AG’s been through multiple battles in a Nuggets uniform now. He’s a tested champion who has actively worked to become stronger mentally. The Wolves have dared him to shoot in the series. Gordon is now shooting 8/12 from deep after knocking down both attempts in Game Four. And there was far more to his production than that.

Gordon finished with 27 points on 11/12 shooting. He had everything working. He knocked down his threes and all of his turnaround jumpers from mid-range. He does much damage as a traditional power forward in Denver’s offense. But in Game Four, AG also turned back the clock to his Orlando days. Getting stops and getting out into transition allowed him to attack smaller defenders in space. He devoured them.

It wasn’t just the scoring, either. Gordon rebounded well, made plays for his teammates, and made life difficult for Karl Anthony-Towns. Gordon and company got up and into the perimeter-oriented forward. KAT struggled with the physicality and lost his composure. Mr. Nugget dominated.

Jamal Murray – B+

Murray didn’t look as fresh as in Game Three, but he’s turned a corner in this matchup. Denver’s point guard went into the Wolves’ den and emerged with his confidence. It’s not just about his big-time shotmaking, either. The Nuggets are putting Murray in a better position to succeed. He’s getting a breather when other guys take the ball up the floor, and the Nuggets are also finding success with the empty-side pick-and-roll.

Among his other talents, Murray has an elite sense of the moment. He’s as much a performer as a competitor, and those qualities combine to create magical moments in the postseason. In Game Four, Murray put an exclamation point on a wild run to close the first half with a miracle heave. It took the air out of the building. Only one other man in the arena knew how to handle the chaos. Murray locked eyes with Kevin Harlen on the sideline, who helped hammer the moment home.

Michael Porter Jr. – D

Porter only shot four times in the win. He looked several steps behind the action for the first time in all playoffs and played as if overwhelmed. He was able to rescue himself from complete failure with a couple of nice possessions on defense, but he had some lowlights there as well. He never found the rhythm of Game Four. Thankfully, his teammates picked up the slack. We’ll take it as long as he or Gordon looks like one of the best shooters in the world.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – D

As it turns out, this has been a tougher matchup for KCP than anyone else on the Nuggets. His struggles continued. Thankfully, another guard on the roster was ready to step up.

Christian Braun – A

Braun was clutch off the bench. His knack for winning reared its head as he knocked down a clutch three and all four free throws. He played with tremendous confidence, and Malone leaned on him. Braun logged 25 minutes in the win and was out there for the entire fourth quarter.

Justin Holiday – A

Michael Malone has his fingerprints all over this one. He’s going with Holiday’s shooting and veteran composure over the chaos and defensive prowess of Peyton Watson. It’s working out beautifully. Holiday shot 3/5 from deep and was +11 in roughly 19 minutes off the bench. Holiday is now shooting 10/16 from 3 in the second round.

Reggie Jackson – A

Once again, the Nuggets needed fewer than 10 minutes from Reggie Jackson. And again, Jackson was quite good in that short time. He scored six points, pulled down two rebounds, and recorded three assists in 9:22 on the floor. Denver’s bench is getting the job done.