Game 31: Denver Nuggets (21-9) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (12-20) - 5:00 PM ET

[ducler]

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[NuggetsWY]

Nuggets have been playing to the level of the competition and have gotten burned a couple times, but for the most part they have done well. Defense has been good, for the most part; one of the best in the league (but not so good in the last game). Denver is 8-5 on the road. So what happens tonight?

[THE J0KER]

There are just 5 teams in the league so far with less than 30% wins, and Denver h2h against them so far is 2-3

Memphis Grizzlies winning record so far is 37.5%, so we will not underestimate them so badly, and I expect a routine win for Nuggets.

[THE J0KER]

Very strange 1st half, but Denver defense was sensational until very last minute (Memphis was 7-0 in last minute), so no complains, we lead 50-39.

Nuggets are 0-0 from FT (Memphis 13-16), but everything else was in Denver's favor. Jokic has a great start in the 1st quarter (season-high 14p in Q1), but about 4 minutes before the end of the half made 3rd foul and Malone sit him (not sure it was necessary, Nuggets lead 20+ at that moment), and while defensively everyone deserves credit, offensively it is just Jokic and Porter jr. I hope MPJ will finally play today 20+ minutes.

[THE J0KER]

Totally opposite 2nd half in terms of game style Denver used, almost like we watched two different teams on both sides. We started game allowed Memphis just 11 points in whole 1st quarter, but finished allowing Grizzlies 42 in the 4th! Also, we didn't shoot a single free throw in the 1st half, but then we shoot 27 in the 2nd!? But a still routine win at the end because of offense worked very well, and Jokic was unstoppable. Jokic was 31-10-10 with triple-double coming from nowhere (have just 5 assists before the 4th quarter, but this time Malone finally put him in the game over 8 minutes before the end of the 4th quarter, not just about 5 minutes as usually this season). Jokic was also +23 in +/- column, the 2nd best +/- was +7, which tells a lot how Joker controlled this game. But Jokic was not the only ones with all-around type of the game today, Barton was 20-6-7 and Murray was 15-5-5. Porter didn't play 20+ minutes as I hoped for, but at least this is the 2nd game ever Malone gives him to play over 13 minutes, and more important, MPJ scored for the first time ever 3+ threes in a game with once again notable defensive efforts.

[NuggetsWY]

Very bizarre game and mostly The Joker covered it quite nicely. I absolutely loved seeing the offense finally running through Jokic more (not the whole game) but give the ball to Jokic and move seems like our best offense (as we all know).

Seven players scored in double figures - impressive!

Jokic took 19 shots and he gets a triple-double; I'll continue to say that Jokic shooting makes his passing easier
Barton continues to play great (maybe the fear of losing his starting spot to Porter ...)

Grant played starter-level minutes off the bench and had a nice game
Porter got 18 minutes, some of them at PF, and he had a nice game

22-9 with 8-2 in the last 10 games