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Nuggets Player Grades: Weight of Loss to Lakers Falls on Jokic

By Cade Walker

DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 03: Will Barton III #5 of the Denver Nuggets puts up a shot against Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter at Pepsi Center on December 03, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 03: Will Barton III #5 of the Denver Nuggets puts up a shot against Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter at Pepsi Center on December 03, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 3: Paul Millsap #4 of the Denver Nuggets handles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 3, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 3: Paul Millsap #4 of the Denver Nuggets handles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 3, 2019 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Paul Millsap:   A

The best player for Denver this game was certainly Paul Millsap. He played solid defense on Anthony Davis and Lebron, in addition to scoring the most efficiently for Denver. He shot 8/14 from the field and 2/3 from the arc. His shooting this year has been an underdiscussed topic and a big reason for the success of the starting unit. He was tied for a team high plus/minus of a -2 (very depressing). The ability for Malone to use Millsap as a safety valve has paid dividends so far this season and will be very crucial in the playoffs.

Jamal Murray: B

Jamal was solid for the most part. His leadership on the court cannot go unnoticed. His defense this game was excellent, as it has been this year. Murray has taken bounds in reading passing lanes and using his hands when guarding a ball handler. Both his perimeter and post defense have improved as a result of this focus.

Offensively, he hit a few tough shots. I question his shot profile, but he does score effectively. Unfortunately one of the things that hurt Denver last night was very poor perimeter shooting. Jamal didn’t remedy this as he had merely 3 attempts from deep and didn’t connect on any of them. There were multiple times last night where Murray came off a screen, and instead of pulling up afterwards, he drove in and settled for a contested mid-range shot. It’s been a consistent theme for him this year, but one that he’s capable of fixing.

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