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The Denver Nuggets have had a fairly decent season so far. Michael Malone's side weren't sharp enough at the start of this month, however, Nikola Jokic and Co. seem to have found their mojo back, having won 3 consecutive games.
The Denver Nuggets' recent victory over the LA Lakers was the biggest of them all. Coincidentally, the first of 3 consecutive losses this month also came against them.
The Denver Nuggets are currently 7th in the West with a 15-11 record and will now look to move up the rankings to gain homecourt advantage once the playoffs commence. Some of their players have really stepped up to make sure they can achieve this.
On that note, let's have a look at how the Denver Nuggets roster has performed so far this season. For this article, we have taken those that are averaging more than five minutes a game and therefore are having a significant impact on the team.
Grading the Denver Nuggets' starters after 25 games of the 2020-21 season
Nikola Jokic: A+
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 35.9 PPG: 26.7 AST: 8.6 REB: 11.3 FG%: 56.7
Nikola Jokic has been formidable for the Denver Nuggets this season. The Joker is having an MVP caliber season and his numbers speak for themselves. He is in the category of modern-day centers who can do it all; score 30/40/50-point games, shoot 3-pointers, grab rebounds, steals, make blocks, assists and whatnot.
Jokic is well on course to establish himself as one of the best centers in the game, provided he's able to keep up his performances for a long period. The so-called funniest player in the NBA has been a serious problem for opponents to deal with this season.
Jamal Murray: B+
020-21 Season Record - MPG: 34.8 PPG: 18.3 AST: 4.4 REB: 4.0 FG%: 44.1
Jamal Murray has put in monumental performances in the past few games. While the overall season averages do not do justice to his performances in the Orlando bubble, the floor general seems to be picking up form of late and one can expect more of the same from here on.
In the comeback win for the Denver Nuggets against OKC Thunder, Murray was at his best and he made sure that was followed by another scintillating performance against the mighty Lakers.
Paul Millsap: B
020-21 Season Record - MPG: 24.2 PPG: 18.3 AST: 1.6 REB: 5.2 FG%: 51.6
Paul Millsap, along with Nikola Jokic, have started most games this season for the Denver Nuggets, and the 36-year-old veteran's experience has helped this young Denver Nuggets side on quite a few occasions.
However, he left the floor injured against the Lakers in the last game and is the latest addition to the Nuggets injury list. His shooting averages of late have given quite a boost to the Nuggets and his teammates will be hoping his injury doesn't keep him out for long.
Will Barton: B
020-21 Season Record - MPG: 29.8 PPG: 11.6 AST: 3.2 REB: 3.7 FG% 43.6
Will Barton is another starter who is on the injury list for the Denver Nuggets. Barton has started 21 out of 25 games he played this season and hasn't been as impressive. While most of his averages have dropped, Barton's shooting % from beyond the arc has been lethal in the last three games he has played, averaging at 60% or more in each game.
Gary Harris: B
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 30.7 PPG: 10.1 AST: 1.7 REB: 2.5 FG% 45.0
Gary Harris is one of three regular starters who is currently out injured as well. However, his stats as a backcourt player have been quite underwhelming this season. The Nuggets will be hoping he comes back soon though, as it's always good to have depth in a season like this where there are games played at such a high-frequency level.
Michael Porter Jr: A
020-21 Season Record - MPG: 26.8 PPG: 14.9 AST: 0.9 REB: 6.2 FG% 51.2
Michael Porter Jr. has been a revelation this season. The leap he has made in his second year as an NBA player is tremendous. He is now starting games regularly for the Denver Nuggets in the absence of many of the regulars. He seems to have repaid the faith put in him by coach Michael Malone as he continues to establish himself as a valuable member of this Nuggets team.
Monte Morris - A
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 26.1 PPG: 11.0 AST: 3.4 REB: 2.0 FG% 49.5
Monte Morris' stats don't really give justice to his valuable contributions to the Nuggets' injury-riddled season. The guard has been playing for long periods of time, making sure key players like Jamal Murray stay fresh in the absence of PJ Dozier and Gary Harris. It is always a bonus to have hard-working players like Monte Morris in the ranks.
JaMychal Green - B
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 20.5 PPG: 9.8 AST: 1.0 REB: 6.1 FG% 44.6
JaMychal Green is having a better season compared to his previous one with the LA Clippers, however, the Denver Nuggets will be hoping for more from him this season on the offensive end. With injuries piling up, this will be the perfect time for Green to give his all and prove he deserves more than 20 minutes a game.
PJ Dozier - C+
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 19.4 PPG: 7.1 AST: 1.4 REB: 4.1 FG% 46.8
PJ Dozier was having an okay season for the Denver Nuggets and then a long-term injury ruled him out and the guard hasn't featured since January 26th. He's been shooting quite well, just like his teammates, and averages more than 40 from the field and beyond the arc.
Facundo Campazzo - B
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 11.8 PPG: 3.5 AST: 1.6 REB: 0.7 FG% 34.8
Facundo Campazzo was great in the recent win against the Lakers, providing an added boost to the Denver Nuggets from the bench. His overall stats aren't that impressive though, but if he keeps putting in performances as he did against the Lakers it will soon be on the rise. Campazzo scored a season-high 15 points shooting 50% from the field and beyond the arc in the game against LeBron and his crew.
Isiah Hartenstein - C
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 8.9 PPG: 3.9 AST: 0.6 REB: 3.1 FG% 48.9
With Nikola Jokic in the Denver Nuggets lineup, Isiah Hartenstein has barely got the chance to play to unleash his full potential. However, in order to have Jokic ready and fresh, the Nuggets could use more of Isiah Hartenstein. With Bol Bol out injured, Hartenstein is the only available player to play Jokic's rotation minutes for the Denver Nuggets.
RJ Hampton, JK Nnaji, Bol Bol, Marcus Howard, Vlatko Cancar
These players have thus far haven't played enough for the Nuggets to warrant a realistic grade.
Guess the Lakers players!
