The Denver Nuggets ensured that the result of this match against the Cleveland Cavaliers was very similar to the previous one, as the Nuggets distanced themselves thanks to Jamal Murray’s heroism on the court, winning by 120-103. Murray had 50 points, the best of his career, and was completely unbelievable, losing just 4 shots all night. Nikola Jokic had a double triple with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, while Michael Porter Jr. had 21 points in the first half and Denver overcame the fourth time behind Murray’s flames. Cleveland fought hard behind Collin Sexton’s 23 points and Jarrett Allen’s 20/10 double-double, but no one would take that victory from Murray tonight.
Game flow
The Nuggets opened with a Jokic dime in the three-point arc for Michael Porter Jr. for a dunk. Jarrett Allen hit a bucket of paint, but a Jokic-to-Green dunk showed how Denver can have almost anything he wants inside the Cavs, but Green got hurt and Denver had to ask for time after the Cavs scored a three on the other far end. Murray finished the next ball possession with a tray, so Will Barton made a three of an MPJ assist. Porter landed a block and ended at the other end with a 13-5 lead. Murray’s burglary and burial forced a Cleveland timeout when Denver rolled early, hitting all 7 of his first shots. Porter’s two were canceled by Collin Sexton’s 3 when the Cavs started working on Sexton, Garland and Jarrett Allen. Allen finished an oop, but Barton’s painting was 21-10 with 5 minutes passed.
Cleveland attacked in a few buckets, but Porter hit a three to answer. Denver was a little confused due to some possessions when Cleveland closed to 9, but Porter submitted a pass from Jokic to take the lead in double digits, despite some of Porter’s turns in submission attempts. Denver was cold from the field, stuck at 28 with Nnaji airballing a three and ending 1-to-7 streak that Monte Morris broke with a tray. Despite the cold streak, Facundo Campazzo hit a desperate three and Denver had a 33-23 lead in the second.
Denver finished painting to open and fought the defense with Campazzo on the PG and Murray on the shooting guard to start the second. RJ Hampton and Will Barton played three and four with Nnaji in the center, which made them quick but error-prone. JaVale McGee had no trouble finishing the painting and a couple of turns from Barton made it 35-31 while Cleveland went on in an 8-0 run. Barton’s downfall was answered by Sexton, but MPJ hit another 3 – and was then knocked down in an attempt to bury by McGee. Hartenstein and McGee clashed briefly after this blatant, with Hartenstein gaining technology in some way. But MPJ hit his free throws for the flagrant, Campazzo hit a three and Denver recovered 45-31. Sexton scored 10 consecutive points in Cleveland at one point in the fourth, but Garland’s three reduced the lead to 5. Jokic hit the target, but Denver was sloppy with the bench / match combination on the court. MPJ continued to bat while the starters returned, and with Murray and Jokic back on the court, Denver increased the lead to 15. Murray made a three to put Denver in a 60-45 lead. Three more Murray opened their doors in the first half explosion while Denver defended using mostly a zone, and Porter’s throwback gave him 21 in the middle to go with 20. A nice MPJ effort on the glass left Jokic with the last bucket and one 69-50 advantage of the range.
Nikola Jokic and Collin Sexton negotiated three to open the third quarter. RJ Hampton lost a three of his own when opening the interval with the regulars, but a beautiful Jokic dunk on a Hampton pass solved that problem. Cleveland came out difficult to start the quarter, however, making difficult shots and trying to get back to him. Porter missed a fall and the Nuggets played some disorganized basketball, but Jokic went to the line to calm things down. Hampton continued to fight to defend himself and also went to the line, but some problems with defensive rebounds made it difficult to start. Denver had 16 wins when Murray turned the ball over to a tray, making it 79-65. The two teams exchanged buckets and errors for a few minutes, but the effort to defend Denver was not paying off at the other end with stray hoppers. Hampton received a Jokic baseline pass to finish, MPJ lost an open three to go goalless on the third and Hampton continued to miss out on extra effort as Cleveland dismounted. They got 85-75 Denver with 3:30 left, so the Nuggets turned the ball – their 13th day of the night so far – and Cavs reduced the lead to single digits. Murray made a pair of threes to keep Denver’s advantage comfortable and the Nuggets finished fourth with 15, 95-80.
Cleveland opened the room with a bucket of paint, but Murray responded with three others, shooting 14 out of 16 at that point. He blistered the nets and alone kept the Denver score with Jokic on the bench. Denver was 109-95 thanks to Murray’s incredible score, and even MPJ missing the bucket that would give Jokic a triple-double with 7 minutes left was not much of a problem. The Nuggets contained Cleveland with Campazzo and Murray playing on the pass lines, but no one was able to give Jokic the 10th assist until Murray hit another 3 in a break led by Jokic. Murray would not be denied in the attack, drawing his best performance with 48 to 4 minutes left and Denver with 114-95. And then Murray closed the deal with 50 points, his career record, like this:
And from then on it was academic. Denver was all smiles when Cavs 120-103 exploded.
Final thoughts
- Murray was volcanic and, when it is, it is a singularly unique experience. Opening 17 of 20 will do that, but some nights he just can’t miss it and it’s always a pleasure and a privilege to see Jamal when he’s in the zone. He stabilized the ship at the end of the third quarter and kept the bench on it during the danger zone where Denver lived from the end of the third to the first minutes of the fourth. Today he was special on the pitch and he knew it. He burned the nets, put the Nuggets on his back and guaranteed that this would be a Denver victory. To quote Scott Hastings, he was special tonight, and that 50 burger in just 25 servings was incredible to witness.
- Denver fed MPJ early and it was worth it. He scored 21 points in the first half, with a good combination of layups, jumpers and three. He had an airball and some upsets, but – unlike other games – Denver continued to feed him and he responded on both ends. In each game this year in which Porter took more than 13 shots, he scored at least 22 points, and today was no different. MPJ played a lot as a striker with JaMychal Green getting hurt early and he was great at the time. He slowed offensively in the third quarter, but still broke the glass and looked much more engaged than in some previous exits. Finding the right rhythm with Murray, MPJ and Jokic on the court was not easy, but it worked tonight, despite Porter’s final struggles in the second half. Maybe it was a colic in the break after being knocked down in the first half by JaVale McGee, maybe he was tired – and maybe he just got it wrong. Regardless, Denver has shown that MPJ can receive touches and shots and the other stars can still eat well. It was a good effort.
- The third quarter is still a drug, but at least Denver has stopped bleeding. The Nuggets have been defeated in 10 of the last 14 games, but against the Cavs they only lost their quarters by 4, which is a far cry from some of the disasters they faced before. Coach Michael Malone kept Murray to finish fourth and led the rally that held Denver’s lead at 15, when he was in single digits just minutes before. The Nuggets need to figure out their problems in the third quarter and how to avoid complete breakdowns that give up their leadership in the first half, and tonight it worked.
- Happy Birthday Nikola! Jokic had to celebrate his special day with a victory (thanks Jamal!) And in the end this is the best gift to have. He still contributed a triple-double, though – even on his birthday he doesn’t take the day off.