Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are still trying to find their footing this season, but they have rebounded from a slow start to put themselves in playoff contention heading into the second half. 

Of course, the biggest reason for Denver's success is Nikola Jokic. The Serbian big man is an MVP front-runner with an average of 27.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game thus far. 

Jokic has been the driving force behind one of the NBA's best offenses. Michael Porter Jr. is emerging as a dominant scoring threat with 13.8 points per game on 38.3 percent shooting from three-point range. Jamal Murray has struggled to find consistency, but he still ranks second on the team with 21.0 points per contest. 

After reaching the Western Conference Finals last season, expectations were high for the Nuggets in 2020-21. They haven't yet played up to that potential, but there's still time for them to make noise in a deep Western Conference. 

Here's the schedule the Nuggets will face coming out of the All-Star break, as well as a look at their key matchups and a final record prediction. 

        

2020-21 Nuggets Second-Half Schedule

Second-Half Opener: at Memphis Grizzlies on March 12 (8 p.m. ET)

Championship Odds: +3000 (via FanDuel)

Second-Half Schedule: NBA.com

     

Top Matchups

vs. Utah Jazz (May 7 at 10 p.m. ET)

The Utah Jazz are sitting in the position the Nuggets occupied the previous two seasons: atop the Northwest Division standings. 

In fact, the Jazz have played so well this season that there's a strong argument they are the biggest threat to the Los Angeles Lakers to represent the west in the NBA Finals. 

The Nuggets and Jazz have already played twice in the first half, with both teams winning once. Their most recent meeting was a 128-117 victory by the Nuggets on Jan. 31. That game snapped Utah's streak of 11 consecutive wins and marked the second-most points it has allowed in a game (130 to Brooklyn on Jan. 5). 

Jokic was an unstoppable force in that game with 47 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. 

Nikola Jokic (47 PTS, 12 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL) tied his career scoring-high in the #NBASundays win over the Jazz 🃏 pic.twitter.com/4YlyHCJa7t

— NBA UK (@NBAUK) February 1, 2021

It seems unlikely the Nuggets are going to catch the Jazz in the division race, but their ability to have success against them in the regular season could be an indicator that they are able to make another deep postseason run. 

Denver also needs to accrue as many wins as possible to avoid being relegated to the play-in tournament. The team is currently the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, but only one game behind the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers in the race for the fifth spot. 

      

vs. Portland Trail Blazers (April 21 and May 16)

The most interesting race in the Northwest Division right now is the Blazers' battle for second with Denver. 

Portland currently has the edge over its division rival, but its 18-13 record is only a game better than the Nuggets' 17-14 mark. These two teams played on Tuesday night, with the Nuggets getting a crucial 111-106 win. 

That could work in Portland's favor because CJ McCollum, who has been out since Jan. 16 when he suffered a hairline fracture in his left foot, could be back in the second half. The team hasn't provided an official timetable for his potential return. 

McCollum was playing the best basketball of his career with 26.7 points per game on 44.1 shooting from three-point range. 

The Nuggets and Blazers are similar in that they are led by high-powered offenses that have to cover for many holes on defense. 

Assuming the Jazz have the division locked down, the loser between the Nuggets and Blazers might be forced to settle for a play-in spot. The Blazers were in that spot last season and beat the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in tournament before getting eliminated from the postseason by the Los Angeles Lakers. 

      

Second-Half Forecast

The Nuggets used to rely on Murray to determine their ultimate ceiling because they knew what Jokic was going to provide but needed a second star to support their all-world center. 

Things worked out last season during the restart when Murray played like a superstar. The 24-year-old averaged 26.5 points and 6.6 assists per game with a 50.5 field-goal percentage (45.3 percent from three) in 19 playoff games. 

That's the only time Murray has consistently played at that level, making it hard to bet on him as the answer next to Jokic. 

Fortunately, the Nuggets don't have to depend solely on Murray anymore. Porter's offensive game contains shades of what a young Kevin Durant was doing for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He still has to get better on defense to become a superstar, but the upside is there. 

Jokic and head coach Michael Malone need to prioritize Porter's development in the second half to push this Nuggets team into the upper tier of Western Conference teams. Even though he might be one year away from fulfilling that potential, the team remains a safe bet to make the playoffs. 

Record Prediction: 39-33

     

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Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray matched a career-high with 50 points on 21-of-25 shooting (8-of-10 from three-point range) in a 120-103 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

Murray scored 50 points twice against the Utah Jazz during the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs. He hit nine three-pointers in each game.

The ex-Kentucky guard's previous regular-season career-high total was 48 against the Boston Celtics on Nov. 5, 2018.

StatMuse posted some notable accolades following the performance:

He is the first Nuggets player with a 50-point game on 80%+ shooting.

He also joins Kyrie Irving as the only players to do so since 1995.

Full list: https://t.co/bLjCsnzzrP

— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 20, 2021

In addition, ESPN Stats & Info tweeted that Murray has joined Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal as the only players this season to earn this remarkable feat:

Including the playoffs, Jamal Murray has 3 career 50-point games, the most in Nuggets history (must include playoffs for this note).

Murray joins Bradley Beal (Jan. 6) as the only players with 20 points in the paint and 20 points from three-point range in a game this season. pic.twitter.com/fm8eFrfuUf

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 20, 2021

It was the Murray and Michael Porter Jr. show in the first half, with Murray scoring 20 and MPJ adding 21 to give Denver a 69-50 halftime lead:

MPJ (21 PTS) and Jamal (20 PTS) are going off in the first half 😤 https://t.co/s3wfg40iU2

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 20, 2021

Murray kept it going in the second half and even knocked down this off-balance three to give himself 43 points:

JAMAL MURRAY IS ON FIRE. 43 PTS 🔥 https://t.co/Xsx4lft5Ej

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 20, 2021

He skied to the rim to put the exclamation point on his 50-point night:

JAMAL CAN'T BE STOPPED. https://t.co/FhAZITgVEy

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 20, 2021

Murray's 50 was complemented by Porter's 22 points and Nikola Jokic's 16-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist, four-steal outing.

Denver Nuggets forward Paul Millsap was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers with a left knee sprain.

Injuries have become somewhat the norm for Millsap during his time with the Nuggets. He suffered a wrist injury and played just 38 games in 2017-18, missed time with a broken toe in 2018-19 and was out last season with a knee injury.

When healthy, Millsap is a veteran leader on a Nuggets team that reached the Western Conference Finals in 2019-20. He averaged 11.6 points and 5.7 rebounds as someone who can score on the low blocks, extend his game beyond the three-point line and challenge for a double-double when he is playing at his best.

The four-time All-Star has followed up with 10.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game this season.

Fortunately for Denver, it still has Nikola Jokic to anchor the frontcourt while Millsap is sidelined. Look for the team to give more playing time to JaMychal Green, Michael Porter Jr. and Zeke Nnaji in the meantime, as well.

Nikola Jokic added another accomplishment to his MVP resume this season, dropping a career-high 50 points to go with 12 assists and eight rebounds, though his Denver Nuggets lost to the Sacramento Kings 119-114 Saturday. 

That doesn't make the Serbian's performance any less noteworthy. 

Jokic went 20-of-33 from the field with a trio of three-pointers. He also shot a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. No other Nuggets player had more than 14 points. 

Before Saturday's offensive outburst, Jokic hadn't scored more than 47 points. That came during Denver's last victory two games prior when the Nuggets beat the Utah Jazz 128-117. Still, Denver has lost three of its last four and finds itself 12-10 and 5.5 games back of Utah in the Northwest Division. 

Jokic did the majority of his work against the Kings in the paint, taking advantage of matchups against Marvin Bagley III, Richaun Holmes and Hassan Whiteside. The big man drained 16 of his buckets in the painted area and freely found a man to kick to when he didn't have a shot. 

Over his last five games, Jokic is averaging 33.2 points per game.

As the MVP race heats up between Jokic, Joel Embiid, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, the Nuggets star may have put himself in the lead with Saturday's performance.

Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray reportedly will not play Saturday against the Sacramento Kings because of left knee soreness, according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post.

Murray has steadily improved over his four-plus NBA seasons and lived up to expectations as the seventh overall pick in the 2016 draft. He ranked 13th among point guards in ESPN's Player Efficiency Rating last season and has averaged 19.0 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds in 20 games this season.

The 23-year-old Canadian has dealt with a variety of minor injuries throughout his career, including calf and elbow issues already this season. His only more extended absence to date came last year when he missed 10 games with a sprained ankle.

With Murray and center Nikola Jokic leading the team, the Nuggets made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals last season.

This season, they are 12-9, which is good for fourth place in the West.

Monte Morris should enter the starting lineup at the point Saturday. It also could open up more opportunities for R.J. Hampton and Markus Howard in the backcourt rotation.

Although the Nuggets have plenty of depth, their high-end talent is limited outside the duo of Murray and Jokic. Because of that, the Nuggets could be ripe for the picking against a Kings team on the fringes of the playoff race at 10-11.

For years, the Slam Dunk Contest has felt empty without the inclusion of perhaps the NBA's preeminent star above the rim. Maybe Nikola Jokic will enter the event one of these days. 

The Denver Nuggets play the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, which presented Jokic with an opportunity to compare himself to LeBron James.

Nikola Jokic on how he and LeBron are similar: "Athleticism. Quickness. I don't know if he can jump as high as me."

— Nick Kosmider (@NickKosmider) February 3, 2021

At 6'11", Jokic has a two-inch height advantage on James, but there's no question as to which of the pair has more leaping ability. According to NBA.com, Jokic was credited with 15 dunks in 2019-20 compared to 79 for LeBron. James did, however, miss two of his attempts, so The Joker had him in dunk efficiency.

Fortunately for fans, we'll get to see these titans of athleticism face off in no time. Maybe Jokic will give James some pointers.

The NBA announced Wednesday that Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray was fined $25,000 for striking Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. in the groin during Monday's game at American Airlines Center.

Here's a look at the play, which led the Murray's ejection from the Nuggets' 117-113 win:

NBA is fining Jamal Murray $25K for hitting Tim Hardaway Jr. in the groin pic.twitter.com/vwP98VMKNc

— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) January 27, 2021

Hardaway was in the midst of scoring nine straight points during an 11-0 Dallas run to take a 82-80 lead late in the third quarter when the incident occurred.

Murray didn't comment on his ejection and Denver head coach Michael Malone said he didn't see the play, but noted referee Zach Zarba told him the decision to upgrade the foul to a flagrant was "fairly obvious."

"Hopefully, it's nothing more than Jamal being ejected tonight and we can use it as a learning experience," Malone told reporters.

Hardaway was more concerned the Mavs couldn't hold their two-point lead entering the fourth.

"Just playing the game and I guess [Murray] was just frustrated that they didn't call a foul," Hardaway said. "I was trying to do the best I can to deny the ball. The rest speaks for itself. It happens in the game. It sucks, but it doesn't even matter at this point. We lost."

Murray finished with 16 points in 25 minutes. Hardaway tallied 19 points and seven rebounds in 37 minutes.

It marked the last meeting between the Nuggets and Mavericks during the season's first half. Dallas won the first matchup 124-117 in overtime on Jan. 7.

Since Murray avoided a suspension, he'll be eligible to play Wednesday night when Denver visits American Airlines Arena to face the Miami Heat.

Dallas is also back in action Wednesday as it looks to snap a two-game losing skid against the Utah Jazz.

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray seemed to be dialed in during Monday's game against the Dallas Mavericks and started 7-of-11 from the field for 16 points into the third quarter.

That came to a screeching halt in one play.

Murray was ejected from the game after hitting Tim Hardaway Jr. in the groin area. The pair collided, which sent Murray to the ground. As he was getting up, he hit his opponent between the legs with his right arm.

Jamal Murray was ejected after this play on Tim Hardaway Jr. https://t.co/VtxEXAoQDN

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 26, 2021

Officials deemed it a flagrant-2 violation and ejected Murray.

"Just playing the game and I guess [Murray] was just frustrated that they didn't call a foul," Hardaway told reporters. "I was trying to do the best I can to deny the ball. The rest speaks for itself. It happens in the game. It sucks, but it doesn't even matter at this point. We lost."

Fortunately for Denver, it still managed to hang on for a 117-113 victory thanks to strong performances from Nikola Jokic (20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists) and Michael Porter Jr. (30 points and eight rebounds).

Luka Doncic notched a triple-double of 35 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds for Dallas, but it wasn't enough in his team's second straight loss.

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. will be quarantined at least 10 more days due to the NBA's health and safety protocols, according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

Porter was initially ruled out at the start of January due to the league's protocols with the expectations he would miss multiple games.

Although his mandatory seven-day quarantine finished in time for Thursday's game against the Dallas Mavericks, he was not with the team and was ruled out earlier in the day, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

The 22-year-old has already missed four games and could miss at least five more with the additional quarantine.

Porter had been off to a hot start to the season before the latest setback, averaging 19.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in four appearances.

The 2018 lottery pick averaged 9.3 points per game as a rookie last year but showcased his skill set during the NBA restart, scoring 22.0 points per game in seven seeding games in the bubble. He added 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game during the team's playoff run to the Western Conference Finals.

Denver struggled with a 1-4 start to the 2020-21 season but have gotten back on the right track without Porter, winning two straight games entering Thursday.

As the Denver Nuggets have tried to find ways to upgrade their roster, one option that was put on the table in the offseason involved Gary Harris. 

On the latest episode of the Hoop Collective Podcast, ESPN's Brian Windhorst stated the Nuggets "have attempted" to find a trade market for Harris, but "there just isn't one."

Harris has often been rumored to be on the trade block, with no teams providing a substantial enough offer for the Nuggets to accept. 

Windhorst previously reported last month on the podcast (h/t RealGM.com) that Denver tried trading to "several different places over the offseason."

Harris' career has fallen on hard times after he looked like a budding star after the 2017-18 season. The Michigan State alum averaged 16.3 points per game and shot 40.5 percent from three-point range in 124 games between 2016-17 and 2017-18. 

Denver rewarded Harris with a four-year, $84 million extension in October 2017. 

Since the start of the 2018-19 campaign, Harris' scoring average has dropped to 11.5 points per game. He's shooting 42 percent overall and 32.6 percent from three in 119 games during that span. 

Harris' 7.7 points per game through the first six games this season is on pace to be his lowest since he was a rookie in 2014-15. The 26-year-old has made just four of his 24 three-point attempts. 

Denver is off to a disappointing 2-4 start after reaching the Western Conference Finals last season.