Nuggets vs. Suns: Grades
By Mathew Huff
The Nuggets had some key performances despite a terrible loss to the Phoenix Suns.
The Denver Nuggets have now fell to .500 on the season after they lost 108-100 to the Phoenix Suns in the Pepsi Center. Denver now has a record of 23-23 and is slowly, but steadily becoming more and more distant in the Western Conference playoff picture.
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However, there was still a few players who had great games in this match up on their home floor. Devin Booker was clearly the player of the game for the Phoenix Suns, but we cannot overlook the few key performers for Denver in this game.
Without further adieu, let’s look at some of the key players.
Jamal Murray-A+ Jamal Murray, like Devin Booker, also had a 30 point game. The two young sensations went toe to toe with each other for the entire game. Murray was also efficient as he had a field goal percentage of 58.8% and also shot 62.5% from the three point line as well. He was clearly the biggest bright spot for the Nuggets in this game.
Nikola Jokic-B+ Nikola Jokic did his best Dirk Nowitski impersonation when he hit a fade away one footed jumper. He came away with an impressive double double as he posted 14 points and 17 rebounds. Jokic had a solid five assists as well, but what prevents him from getting an A was his six turnovers. All in all, he looked much better at his natural center position.
Gary Harris-B Harris was his usual self in this game. He had 16 points and showcased his defensive skills by coming away with three steals. Gary also had a nice five rebounds and a surprising four assists. He was one of the few Nuggets who had a positive plus/minus in this game as he had a plus five rating. It was too bad it did not translate into a win.