The Denver Nuggets got what they needed in Memphis: a road win, a reset after a loss to the Houston Rockets, and a little breathing room at 6-4.
It wasn’t comfortable. Denver built an 18-point lead, then watched the Grizzlies claw all the way back until the margin was down to two with less than a minute left. Still, the Nuggets held on and walked out with a 123-118 victory, handing Memphis its fourth loss in five games after the Grizzlies had opened the season on a six-game winning streak.
Jamal Murray was the engine again. While Nikola Jokic has long been the center of everything Denver does, Murray may be making the strongest case that he’s been the team’s most valuable player so far this season.
Against Memphis, he finished with 30 points, four rebounds, and eight assists on 12-19 shooting, including 4-7 from three. When the game tightened, he took over the fourth quarter with 17 points on 7-8 shooting and helped close the door.
That kind of finish is why Murray keeps looking like an All-Star-level force. The Nuggets are at their best when he and Jokic are both rolling, but Murray’s impact has been impossible to miss. He’s also quietly giving Denver more on the defensive end.
Cameron Johnson gave the Nuggets another lift. His season has been uneven so far, with missed time because of injury and not much of a footprint when he’s been available.
On Wednesday, though, he looked like the version Denver wants more often. Johnson scored 23 points, grabbed four rebounds, and handed out three assists while shooting 9-15 from the floor and 4-7 from deep.
He also made a couple of timely plays late, the kind that can swing a tight game.
Denver also won the possession battle in a big way. The Nuggets entered the night with the fifth-fewest turnovers in the NBA at 14.1 per game, and they were even cleaner against Memphis.
They turned it over only six times, and the Grizzlies managed just two points off those mistakes. No Nugget committed more than one turnover, which is about as tidy as it gets in an NBA game.
That kind of ball security usually travels. On Wednesday, it helped Denver survive a game that got much closer than it should have been. Even with the late wobble, the Nuggets found a way to leave Memphis with a much-needed win.
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 🡒]