The Denver Nuggets are a threat in the West because they have the best player on the planet, Nikola Jokic.
However, when Jamal Murray is playing at his peak next to Jokic, Denver looks like the team that won a ring just a couple of years ago. We saw that Murray on Wednesday night when he dropped a career-high 55 points on the Trail Blazers in a Nuggets win.
Jamal Murray took his scoring mile high tonight!
55 PTS (career-high)
4 REB
5 AST
2 STL
7 3PMHe becomes the FIRST player in Nuggets franchise history to record 55+ PTS, 5+ AST, & 5+ 3PM in a single game! pic.twitter.com/EmdhPlKGjA
— NBA (@NBA) February 13, 2025
Murray was gunning, shooting 20-of-36 to get his buckets. Nikola Jokic added a triple-double on the night of 26 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists. His play and Murray were enough to lift the Nuggets to a 132-121 win.
That’s nine straight wins for Denver heading into the All-Star break, pushing the Nuggets up to third in the West (and just half a game behind Memphis for the No. 2 seed). While Oklahoma City is clearly the team to beat in the West, Denver might be the biggest threat to them, especially if Murray keeps playing like this.
