The Denver Nuggets managed to halt their recent skid at two games Sunday evening, as they bested the reigning champion Golden State Warriors in front of a packed crowd at Ball Arena. In exhilarating fashion, the Nikola Jokic-less Nuggets pulled out a tightly contested 112-110 victory thanks to a last-second clutch block by star guard Jamal Murray.
Despite their triumph, post-game, reporters were still quick to point out the difference in the team's play without their two-time MVP on the floor.
When asked if he feels Denver plays less fluidly and if they missed Jokic against the Warriors, Murray took exception to the question, suggesting that while they missed their big man, those who remained in the lineup are still highly capable players without him.
“I've played without [Nikola Jokic] before, I think guys have played without Joker before. We know how to play basketball. It's just basketball,” Jamal Murray said. “I thought everyone showed up. If you're wondering about the offense, I thought the offense played great. I thought we got exactly what we wanted. We're not the worst team when Jokic is not on the court. I really don't like that. I thought everyone stepped up and played well. Coach was great. I thought he made great adjustments and just keeping us positive…We know how to play basketball, no matter who's out there.”
Paving the way for the Nuggets in the contest was Jamal Murray, who went on to finish the night with a stellar stat line of 26 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks on 47.6% shooting from the floor and 37.5% shooting from deep.
Despite their impressive win against Golden State, however, Denver is still just 4-7 in games played without Nikola Jokic this season and lost their previous five contests with him sidelined.
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