The band is back together — and so is the magic.
Jamal Murray returned from a six-game absence with a sprained ankle to drop 15 points and hit clutch fourth-quarter buckets, while Nikola Jokic made history, securing his 34th triple-double and officially becoming the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season.
Together, they willed the Denver Nuggets to a 117-109 comeback win over the Memphis Grizzlies — closing the game on a 14-1 run and showing flashes of their championship DNA just in time for the playoffs.
🧠“It’s Beautiful Basketball”
Interim coach David Adelman didn’t hold back:
“I’d buy a ticket to watch that… it’s historically incredible. When it gets really intense, it seems like they breathe real easy.”
Murray looked rusty early (5-of-12 FG), but played 32 impactful minutes, adding 7 assists and 5 boards, while Jokic took over in crunch time with 8 of his 26 points in the final six minutes, along with 16 rebounds and 12 assists.
💬 Murray on Jokic and the Comeback:
“It was good to see the ball go in… We played with energy and urgency like there was something on the line — because there was.”
Denver has now won two straight under Adelman after the shocking firings of Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth, who led the franchise to its first title in 2023.
💔 Murray Reflects on Malone’s Firing:
“Coach always had my back from a young kid… He hated to lose, always set the tone. So it sucks to see him go like that — especially this late. We don’t get here without him.”
📈 Playoff Outlook
Denver (currently 4th in the West) wraps up the regular season Sunday at Houston with seeding still up for grabs. But one thing is clear:
The Jokic–Murray duo is back, locked in, and battle-tested.
And if you’re a Western Conference contender?
You’ve been warned.
