The story vs the Miami Heat was about Jimmy Butler and his return to the floor, but the Denver Nuggets quickly flipped the script.
The Nuggets beat the Heat 133-113 tonight in what was as straightforward of a 20-point victory as one could ask for. The starters played well. The bench brought energy, scoring, and defense to the table. The blended lineups worked really well. The team committed five turnovers as a whole. Everything clicked for Denver tonight.
Jamal Murray led the way with 30 points, adding eight rebounds and seven assists to go with zero turnovers. Murray put immense pressure on the Heat and had it going in the first half especially. The Nuggets point guard looks better and better as the season has progressed, but it’s still shocking that just a few days ago, I was writing about the status of Murray’s knee. He has put those issues to rest in short order and looks the part of the playoff player the Nuggets need this season.
Jamal Murray is putting them in a SPIN CYCLE 🫨
He had 20 PTS in the first half 🌡️👀 pic.twitter.com/ZYI3hiXP5w
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 18, 2025
The attention Murray took away on the perimeter afforded Jokic a great opportunity to attack Bam Adebayo 1-on-1, and he sure took advantage. 9-of-12 from the field, and the last shot he made was a three-pointer where Murray dragged Adebayo into the paint, only for Jokic to be wide open at the top of the key and splash a three to close the quarter.
Oh, and Jokic continues to make Magic Johnson-esque passes whenever he wants. The over-the-head pass to Aaron Gordon for the tomahawk jam was pretty fun too.
He’s just trying stuff at this point 🤯 pic.twitter.com/yp3RvTEK2k
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 18, 2025
Other notable performances tonight: Russell Westbrook with 11 points, seven assists, zero turnovers, and 3-of-4 from three-point range? That’s a tremendous line for the veteran point guard. Julian Strawther had 14 points, including 4-of-7 from three-point range off the bench. Michael Porter Jr. struggled in the first half but had three three-pointers in the second half to space the floor.
Denver’s defense wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t have to be. The offense was cooking. There was no stopping Denver tonight. When Jokic and Murray play at that level, everything else often falls into place for the Nuggets, a great example why there’s still clear championship potential for the team.
41 games down, 41 games to go
So, the Nuggets are 25-16 through the first half of the season.
That’s a 50-win pace for those mathematically challenged, seven wins off pace of where they were last season in defending their title.
Of course, the season before, they won 53 games when they actually won the championship. It’s not the amount of regular season wins that defines a team in their quest to win a championship. It’s how well they’re set up for playoff success.
So, what have we learned about these Nuggets through the halfway mark?
Well, there’s not a lot that we didn’t already know. Nikola Jokic is still clearly the best player in the world. He’s good enough to win several playoff games by himself when the time comes. Jamal Murray is still inconsistent, but the point guard is now back up over 20 points per game with averages that are closer to his standard. Michael Porter Jr. is still a talented but flawed third scorer. When he’s involved and engaged, he can change a game. When he’s not, he often gets out of the way.
We’ve learned that Aaron Gordon’s health matters a lot, but the Nuggets can find ways to survive without him. Christian Braun has stepped into the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope role and done reasonably well. Peyton Watson can be counted upon more and more frequently. Julian Strawther is learning on the fly and getting better as the season goes along.
But the two pleasant surprises have been Russell Westbrook and DeAndre Jordan. Westbrook is finding ways to impact the game as a playmaker, athlete, and defender on a consistent basis. His shooting is also improved from the perimeter, and the Nuggets are trusting him and empowering him to take those shots. Jordan wasn’t supposed to play this season, but with the disappointing seasons of Dario Saric and Zeke Nnaji, he’s stepped up and filled the backup center role admirably.
So, while the Nuggets haven’t been as good in the regular season as they were last year, there’s a part of me that thinks they have the potential to be more dangerous. Denver had a 7.5 man rotation last year when it came down to it. This year? Westbrook and Watson are clearly a factor. Strawther and Jordan can fill smaller roles. Is that good enough off the bench? Probably not. Perhaps the Nuggets need one (or two) more options to throw out there, but it feels more reputable than last year’s bench unit.
The Murray renaissance is what has me excited though. The biggest difference between the championship Nuggets and last year’s Nuggets was Murray’s consistency and efficiency. Things looked bad with him for a while this season, but over the past month, he has elevated his game more consistently and played better basketball. He also simply looks better physically, which will always be a factor in his performance.
if the Nuggets get this version of Jokic and Murray in the playoffs, they have a chance against anyone. Is it a great chance? They probably need more help than that, but it’s a great start.
Final Rotations
