The Nuggets are getting everything they could ask from Jamal Murray right now, and that’s exactly why there’s reason to worry.
Denver’s whole idea in bringing this group back was simple: make another deep playoff push and give itself a real shot at a title. That only happens if Nikola Jokić is rolling and Murray is right there with him.
Early on, Murray has absolutely delivered. The problem is that he may already be carrying too much of the load.
Against the Rockets on Monday, Murray put up 38 points on 14-of-23 shooting and went 5-of-8 from three in 39 minutes. It was his third-highest scoring game of the season and the fourth time he’s cleared 35 points. He’s now leading the Nuggets with 25.8 points per game, and he’s doing it while also giving Denver real value on the defensive end.
The numbers back that up. With Murray on the floor, Denver’s defensive rating sits at 112.8.
When he sits, that number jumps to 123.1, according to databallr. He’s not just surviving heavy minutes - he’s making a difference on both ends.
But the bigger issue is what all of that says about the rest of the roster.
Murray and Jokić combined for 63 of Denver’s 100 points in the loss to Houston. No one else on the team reached double figures.
Cam Johnson came closest, finishing with eight points on 2-of-6 shooting. That’s a lot of pressure to put on two players, and it forced Murray to go into overdrive just to keep the Nuggets in the game.
That kind of burden is fine if it’s a one-night thing. It’s a problem if it becomes the routine in November.
Everyone knows Murray can flip the switch when the games get bigger. That’s part of what makes him so valuable. But having to lean on that version of him this early because Denver doesn’t have another dependable offensive option outside of him and Jokić is not a great sign.
Last season showed both sides of this equation. Murray played 75 games, his most since 2018-19, when he also appeared in 75.
He posted career highs with 25.4 points per game, 48.3% shooting from the field and 43.5% from deep, while also averaging 7.1 assists. That earned him his first All-Star selection and helped keep Denver’s offense humming even as injuries piled up, including Jokić missing a few weeks.
Then the playoffs arrived, and the efficiency disappeared. Murray shot 35.7% from the field and 26.2% from three. In Game 6, with the season on the line, he managed just 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting.
Jaden McDaniels deserves credit for the way he defended him, especially with the physicality he brought. But it also looked like the regular-season workload caught up to Murray once the intensity ratcheted up.
Denver can’t control injuries, but it can control how much it asks from its best players. Aaron Gordon hasn’t looked like himself and hasn’t given the Nuggets the reliable No. 3 option they need. And the front office didn’t exactly solve that issue when DeMar DeRozan ended up as the summer’s most notable signing.
No one is at full strength by the time the playoffs arrive. That’s just the reality of an 82-game season. Still, teams can at least try to preserve their stars instead of grinding them down before the real basketball starts.
Right now, Murray is giving Denver everything he has, and the Nuggets are sitting at 5-4 because of it. That’s not exactly the start they wanted.
If the offense doesn’t find more help soon, Denver may have to turn to the trade market, possibly using the first-round pick it got in the Peyton Watson trade to bring in another creator and scorer. Someone who can ease the load on Murray before the regular season turns into a slog.
In Other News...
Nuggets Already Face An Early Concern Beyond Their 5-4 Start
The early-season bumps have not been limited to the standings for Denver, which has already had to navigate a 5-4 start along with the kind of logistical headache that can throw off a road trip. After the team dealt with travel difficulties in Mexico City, assistant coach David Adelman reached out to the Nuggets core players as the group prepared to head into Houston, a reminder that the grind of an NBA season can test more than just execution on the floor.
What followed showed how much the Nuggets were trying to balance caution with competitiveness, even before the game tipped. The team ultimately decided to play in Houston, but the situation underscored an early concern for Denver: staying physically and mentally sharp enough to handle the demands of a season that is already asking plenty from a roster still trying to settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Showed Something Important In Memphis That Fans Needed To See
The Nuggets left Memphis with a win that felt bigger than a routine road result, because it came with the kind of poise and shot-making they have been searching for. Denver controlled the game for long stretches and held off a Grizzlies push in the third quarter, then leaned on Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic to steady things when the pressure tightened.
Murray kept the offense moving even while dealing with foul trouble, and Jokic once again filled every part of the box score as the Nuggets closed out a 123-118 victory. For a team trying to show it can still impose its will away from home, this was the sort of response that matters, even if the larger question is whether they can keep bringing that edge game after game. [Read more 🡒]
Jokics Slump Is Raising A Bigger Nuggets Concern
Nikola Jokic has still been doing plenty of the little things that help Denver win, especially on the defensive end, where his activity has stood out this season. The Nuggets have benefited from his presence in a stronger team defensive setup, and his willingness to get involved more often on that side of the floor has been one of the quieter positives in an otherwise uneven stretch.
The bigger concern is what has happened when the ball is in his hands at the other end. Jokics shooting has dipped from his usual standard, and Denvers offense has not looked as sharp with him on the floor as it has in past seasons. Whether it is a conditioning issue or something physical lingering in the background, the Nuggets are left watching a version of their centerpiece that is still impacting games, just not in the same dominant way they are used to seeing. [Read more 🡒]