Game Of The Night: Denver Nuggets Answer Every Challenge By The Memphis Grizzlies Winning in Double Overtime: 139–137.
The Mile High Crew still have a tough-minded team and they proved it tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. With Jamal Murray suffering a season-ending knee injury, I expected a major drop off in performance for the 37–20 Denver Nuggets. Prior to tearing his ACL, Jamal Murray was averaging 21.2 ppg. with 4.8 assists which both rank 2nd on the team behind league-MVP candidate Nikola Jokic. This doesn’t account for Murray also being the best last-second shot option on this team as he proved his clutch shooting ability last year in the playoff bubble with classic duels against the Utah Jazz and Donovan Mitchell.
But if the Nuggets proved anything tonight it is they still have enough talent to compete with every team in the NBA.
If you like stat-stuffing games this Nuggets Grizzlies game did not disappoint. In a double-overtime thriller, Memphis guard Ja Morant finished with 36 points 8 rebounds and 12 assists and Nikola Jokic finished with 47 points 15 rebounds and 8 assists. Ja Morant is a clear star in this league and what he is doing leading this Memphis Grizzlies team should not go unnoticed. His second year average of 18.7 ppg and 7.3 apg does not reveal how he keeps this average Memphis Grizzlies team exciting and relevant in the western conference playoff race currently in 8th place with a 29–27 record. He does not have a 2nd all-star caliber player on this team and has his teammates playing to their capabilities. For example, De’Anthony Melton and Grayson Allen are undersized guards who play very hard to make up for their below average athleticism. They are both 3rd-year players who have ended up in Memphis and are having career high years in points per game and it is a direct result of playing alongside Ja Morant. Morant is the quarterback of this offense and it alleviates the responsibilities for the rest of the team and allows them to focus on scoring and playing off the ball. Tonight, Allen had 24 points and Anthony finished with 25 points. If somehow Memphis can lure in a second all-star to play alongside Morant I don’t see why Morant can’t lead a better team to contend for a championship.
As for the Denver Nuggets, they have the most underrated wing-players in the NBA. From Will Barton to PJ Dozier they are long, athletic and most importantly play well on both sides of the ball. Will Barton did not play in the NBA bubble last year and the Nuggets made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. He is arguably their best wing defender and can also score his share of points. Tonight Barton finished second on the team with 28 points and hit a huge 3-pointer at the top of the key late in overtime to tie the game and force double-OT. Michael Porter Jr. is slowly living up to his expectation as a consistent scoring threat at the small forward position. For me, he reminds me of a young Grant Hill without Hill’s ball-handling ability. The way Porter Jr. can drive to the basket and shoot the ball is going to be key for Denver as they look to get much needed buckets later in the season. Tonight Porter Jr. finished with 21 points and a game solidifying 3-pointer that came in the last minute of double-overtime after a Facundo Campazzo steal and assist. Barton and Porter jr. can matchup with any wingplayer duo in the league and make it competitive on both defense and offense. The Denver Nuggets are now 11–2 after the trade deadline and Aaron Gordon seems to be the perfect fit for this team alongside 4x all-star Paul Millsap to play power forward in the front court with Jokic. As for Campazzo, he is no where close to the talent Murray is at point guard, but if he can continue to be a pest on defense and bring the energy for the Nuggets every night, Nikola Jokic is good enough to handle the ball distribution duties for the team. Jokic is averaging a career high 8.8 assists along with 26.1 ppg this year.
Both the Grizzlies and Nuggets are a younger style of team that brings a different type of excitement when you watch them play. They may not be the top-tier of the NBA but the underdog mentality is alive and well when either of these teams take the floor. Tonight they proved no one is afraid of the big shot but especially for the Denver Nuggets who look to fill the void of losing Jamal Murray’s clutch ability. Will Barton, Nicola Jokic and Porter Jr. answered the bell all hitting clutch shots in tonight’s game. In a league ran by multiple superstars on the same team, it is easy to root for the Memphis Grizzlies and Denver Nuggets every night as they compete their tails off and make sure nothing comes easy for their opponents on a nightly basis.
