The Denver Nuggets lost their first NBA Cup matchup of the 2024-25 season against the New Orleans Pelicans tonight, falling 101-94.

Nikola Jokic missed the game due to personal reasons, and the Nuggets could have definitely used him in this one. Jamal Murray appeared overwhelmed by the double teams he faced without his trusted pick and roll partner, and the Nuggets shooters simply didn’t hit enough shots to keep Denver in this one.

The Pelicans were without Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Jose Alvarado, and Jordan Hawkins tonight. Denver was without Jokic and Aaron Gordon. It only looked like one team was feeling those losses extensively though.

Brandon Ingram was unbothered by the Nuggets defense for most of the evening, dropping 29 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists tonight. Ingram did allow the Nuggets back into the game late because he only shot 12-of-26 from the field, but the Nuggets didn’t have anyone that could capitalize on the other end. Michael Porter Jr. did have 24 points, six rebounds, and three assists in his minutes, but he and Peyton Watson (18 points) were effectively the only Nuggets to have a good scoring game.

Jamal Murray was the story tonight for a while. It took him a long time to figure out how to score against the trapping Pelicans defense. He did a good job of using the pressure release to Dario Saric (filling in for the absent Jokic tonight). Murray had eight assists, had some good defensive possessions, some decent detail stuff.

But the reality is Murray was stuck at five points on 2-of-8 from the field for a while. He was willing to play the facilitator and mostly unable to score. He did finish with 16 points once he started to force the issue in the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late. The Nuggets needed more from Murray than 16 points on 16 shots in 43 minutes to win this one. That was clear from the get go, but they didn’t get a star performance.

The aforementioned Saric had a solid game with nine points, eight rebounds, and five assists in 34 minutes. He didn’t shoot the ball well but was a decent playmaker from his spot in Denver’s starting unit. Saric was +12 in his 34 minutes.

Unfortunately, Zeke Nnaji was a -15 in his six minutes to end the first quarter. He did not get off the bench again after not being ready to contribute against Trey Jemison and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.

The Nuggets struggled to score in the paint in this game without Jokic. He usually commands so much attention around the floor and creates opportunities for himself and others by simply existing. With Saric and others out there, he had poor gravity, and the Nuggets perimeter players struggled to handle the added pressure.

Denver’s defense, overall, was good enough to compete tonight. They allowed just 101 points and limited the Pelicans to 42% from the field and 31% from three. Unfortunately, Denver also allowed 17 offensive rebounds, six to starting center Yves Missi, and four to Robinson-Earl. Those second chance points, especially the kickout three-pointers, were backbreakers for a Nuggets team that had limited margin for error.

Removing the Safety Net

This is often what the Nuggets look like without Jokic out there. On the season, the Nuggets now have an 86.3 Offensive Rating without their superstar on the floor and a -23.3 Net Rating overall. Denver’s ability to score consistently just hasn’t been there so far this season, and based on historic precedent, it probably won’t be there often.

This is a condemnation of everyone. It’s not just on Murray, though he bears plenty of responsibility. It’s not just on Porter, especially after a good game like tonight. It’s not just on the backup centers in Saric and Nnaji. It’s not just on Michael Malone, who wasn’t even in the building. He was taking in his daughter’s volleyball game back in Denver tonight.

This is a widespread issue, one that often comes from the magnetism of a superstar. Jokic’s on-off impact might be the strongest in NBA history though. He’s simply too unique. It’s impossible not to rely on him when he’s out there, and it’s created bad habits for the entire organization when he’s not around. There’s no solving this. It’s not going to happen.

It’s a good thing then, that Jokic is healthy. He’s willing to carry a heavy burden, and he shoulders it better than most anyone in the history of the sport. Tonight was an aberration. He will be back soon.

That’s not to let others off the hook though. Murray needs to score the basketball. That’s his burden to bear in these moments. It’s time for him to bear it more responsibly.