Nuggets: Player grades against Jazz after Game 2

Bench

Monte Morris: C+

Due to the poor performance of his teammates, Morris seemed like he had a decent game. It wasn’t anything special but Monte hit his shots and gave some life to the offense when the starters were out. Like everyone else, he struggled on defense and was late to get to rotations which led to Utah’s offensive outburst in the third quarter.

However, as usual, Morris didn’t turn the ball over and was patient on offense.

Jerami Grant: D

Because of Paul Millsap’s struggles on the court, Malone relied on Grant to pick up the slack in the front court. In 27 minutes, Grant only scored 8 points and grabbed 3 rebounds.

At times, Grant’s shot selection was questionable, shooting early on possessions and when tightly guarded. Like Craig, Grant didn’t get to the line and nearly totaled the same amount of fouls as rebounds.

P.J. Dozier: D

For someone who doesn’t get much playing time and recently has been playing at a high level, it was surprising that Dozier didn’t take advantage of the minutes given to him in a playoff game.

For a solid defender, Dozier played well below his standards on both sides of the floor. For the Nuggets, Dozier needs to be ready to shoot beyond the arc and contest shots when opposing players shoot. His long frame is useful on the defensive end to delay drives and shots.

Mason Plumlee: D

Plumlee’s offensive struggles continue. Though he was useful on the glass (8 rebounds in 11 minutes), he missed all three of his shots in the paint.

Over the seeding games, and throughout the bubble, Plumlee looks like his form regressed significantly since the return of the regular season. Used as a strong pick-and-roll option, Plumlee often found himself dominating in the paint when Jokic needed a rest.

Now, it seems like he is just taking up a rotation spot. Plumlee really needs to improve his game for the rest of this series if Malone wants to use him more consistently throughout the playoffs.

Game 3 vs. Utah begins on August 21st at 2 PM (MT). Hopefully, the Nuggets’ rotation can get their act together or they will be in serious trouble.