The Denver Nuggets walked into Memphis and left with a 123-118 win after spending most of the night in control and then surviving the kind of push that can flip a road game fast. Denver built a double-digit cushion by halftime, absorbed a 38-point third quarter from the Grizzlies, and still had enough firepower to close it out.
Jamal Murray was the difference late. He finished with 30 points, and 22 of them came after halftime, even with foul trouble complicating his night.
Nikola Jokic added 27 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists, while Cam Johnson turned in a season-high 23 points. Denver’s work was spread across the roster, and that showed up in the way the Nuggets kept answering every Memphis run.
Memphis got 22 points apiece from Jaylen Wells and Ty Jerome. Cam Boozer and Cedric Coward each grabbed 11 rebounds, but the Grizzlies never quite found the stop they needed when the game tightened.
Denver came out sharp. Christian Braun scored first after winning the tip over Edey and going straight to the rim for a layup.
Aaron Gordon followed with a steal and a finish off a Murray pass, and early threes from Cam Johnson and Braun helped Denver settle in. Jokic kept punishing Memphis inside and out, including a finger roll past Edey and a putback that helped stretch the lead.
By the end of the first quarter, the Nuggets were up 33-24.
The second quarter kept tilting Denver’s way. DeMar DeRozan opened with a steal and a pass for a Cam three, but the Nuggets kept finding answers.
Jokic blocked a shot, Murray attacked through contact, and Cam Johnson finished in transition after Braun found him. Murray picked up his third foul late in the half, but Denver still went into the break ahead 65-52 after Johnson’s dunk.
The third quarter was where Memphis made it messy. Ty Jerome scored to start the period, and Murray picked up his fourth foul just a minute in.
Denver’s offense stalled for a stretch, and the Grizzlies kept slicing into the lead with threes, free throws and pressure at the rim. Jokic tried to steady things with a spinning hook, a floater and a technical free throw, but Memphis kept hanging around.
Even after Murray returned, Denver couldn’t fully shake loose, and the Nuggets carried only a 94-90 lead into the fourth.
That’s when Murray took over. He scored in bunches, hit a three after getting fouled on an in-bounds play, and kept forcing Memphis to react.
Denver pushed the lead to 108-101, but the Grizzlies kept landing punches. Wells and Jerome answered with threes, Boozer hit a floater to make it 113-111, and the last few minutes turned into a shot-for-shot grind.
Cam Johnson came through again with a baseline drive for his 20th point after running down a rebound save on a missed Jokic three. From there, Denver did just enough.
Memphis was called for holding Jokic with the Nuggets up 117-113, Johnson traded threes with Wells, and Aaron Gordon secured the key rebound after a missed Boozer three. Jokic made one of two free throws, and Denver finished the job 123-118.
The Nuggets won despite losing the rebounding battle and the three-point battle. They also gave up 38 points in the third. But they matched Memphis bucket for bucket when it mattered, finished with 34 assists, and got a road win built on effort, execution and Murray’s second-half burst.
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 🡒]
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 🡒]
Aaron Gordons Slow Start Is Testing Denvers Patience
Aaron Gordons slow start has become one of the quieter subplots around Denvers early season, especially because it comes with the kind of patience that usually only exists when a team still believes in the bigger picture. Gordon has said he feels physically good and is more focused on helping the Nuggets win than on how his body feels, which fits the tone around a veteran who knows his value is measured in more than just scoring. Even so, his production has dipped from last season, and the early numbers have not matched the standard he set when he was humming.
For Denver, the important part is what has not happened: there has been no real talk of moving on from him, and the organization appears willing to give him time to find his rhythm. That matters because Gordon remains woven into what the Nuggets want to be, and a rough opening stretch does not change how much they rely on his two-way presence. The question now is how long that patience lasts if the efficiency stays stuck where it is. [Read more 🡒]