The Shorthanded Nuggets Fall to Decimated Pelicans in NBA Cup Play

Jamal Murray – D+

Murray did a great job setting the table for his teammates. He faced a barrage of traps, navigated them well as a point guard, and finished with eight assists to zero turnovers. But he was supposed to be the best player in a game without Nikola Jokić, Aaron Gordon, Zion Williamson, and several other notable Pelicans. Instead, Murray finished with 16 points on 6/16 shooting.

Murray’s struggles without Jokić are nothing new. Suboptimal as they may be, they’re also well-documented. And he’s not alone in the drop-off. The Nuggets aren’t good enough without Jokić, and they play like contenders when he’s out there. Regardless of where one lays the blame, it’s been that way for a long time, and it’s not changing any time soon.

Unfortunately, Murray’s struggles extend beyond one game without his running mate. He’s struggling to separate, and scoring looks relatively tricky for him at a time when other guards around the league are filling it up with ease. Murray hasn’t looked great alongside Jokić either, and while Denver has stabilized since their turbulent takeoff, they’re still waiting for the second-best player to look the part. It’s an essential part of the equation, and it’s fair to expect more after the recent extension. Murray has to be better, whether Jokić is out there or not.

Michael Porter Jr. – A-

Porter became the first Nugget to score 20 points in the first half this season. He mixed in some drives, timely cuts, open threes, and even tried to cook in the mid-range. He played an excellent half. Someone new to the Nuggets might have noted the pace he was on. They might have even googled his career high. But veteran Nuggets fans braced themselves for the inevitable. Porter scored just four points in the second half, and the Nuggets couldn’t keep up without his contributions.

When this occurs, Porter’s defenders quickly point out that he’s frozen out of the offense. Porter’s skeptics quickly point out that he could be doing more to get himself open with or without the ball. Both parties are onto something. And everyone has grown tired of watching his hot starts fizzle out.

Peyton Watson – A-

Watson gave Denver quality minutes in Aaron Gordon’s stead. He registered 18 points, this time by getting himself to the rim rather than pouring in threes. Watson led all Nuggets with six free throw attempts and was Denver’s second-leading scorer. More than that, he was arguably their second-best player. Defensively, Watson is making a significant impact again. No one on this team makes more plays when covering for someone else’s breakdown. The Booth Boys were far from the problem.

Christian Braun – B+

Braun’s production is becoming somewhat predictable. Does anything about his 15 points and 4 rebounds surprise you? We can pencil him in for a roughly similar stat line every night. He also recorded five steals in the loss. Not only is Braun playing well, he’s been remarkably consistent.

Dario Saric – B-

Saric caught the spot start for Jokić, with David Adelman at the helm for Denver. The first half went particularly well. He was a hub in the offense, recording five assists before halftime. Saric played a decent game in total. His 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists help make up his best performance so far as a Nugget. And Denver did well in his minutes. But he wasn’t Jokić, and it wasn’t enough to cover for what went wrong. They missed Jokić in many ways, perhaps none more so than his defensive rebounding, which sunk the Nuggets in the loss.

Julian Strawther – D

Strawther looked rushed all night. It was almost as if he felt the urgency behind each scoring opportunity. I wanted to take a deep breath on his behalf. The Nuggets needed him to play well off the bench, and he didn’t.

Russell Westbrook – C-

Like Murray, Westbrook did a fine job setting the table and logging assists while limiting turnovers. But like Murray, Westbrook struggled to score. He shot 2/8 in the loss.

Zeke Nnaji – F

The Nuggets lost this game during the Nnaji minutes. He logged 5:43 of playing time and somehow finished -15 in the box score.

Vlatko Cancar – C

Cancar returned from injury in the loss. He didn’t exactly light the world on fire, but he played better than Nnaji. Perhaps the stage is set for more Cancar minutes in the future.