Game 20: Denver Nuggets (12-7) @ Oklahoma City Thunder (12-6) - 8:00 PM ET

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[NuggetsWY]

Jokic will have a tough match-up with Adams but I believe his strength will be adequate and his brains will win the match-up (although I do expect him to have some foul trouble so we should see quite a bit of Plumlee, who matches Adams OK too).

Millsap should dominate at PF.

Hernangomez will have his work cut out covering George. I'm wondering if Craig won't see some significant time in this game.

Harris should be covering Westbrook - a match-up worth watching for sure.

Guard match-ups will be fascinating.

Nuggets need to attack the basket - free throws will be very important in this game and attacking the basket might get Adams out of the game with fouls - although he's a fairly intelligent player.

If the Nuggets settle for 30+ 3pt shots, I don't hold much hope.

[THE J0KER]

All our previous hopes on this Nuggets team was based on the elite offense of our young core. But Denver defense and bench improved so much this season on the level nobody expected!

Denver already wasted big lead this season on the road, +17 vs Bucks, but if we lose +25 (+21 on halftime) vs direct division rival in TOP5 seed race on the West, it would be a pure crime...

I said about this game that if we beat Oklahoma on the road tonight, it would be Denver's most valuable win this season so far, and we are so close to doing it already after the 1st half, even without the help of two starters, Gary Harris and Will Barton!

[skywalker33]

Just checked the scoreboard, GREAT ROAD WIN !! Puts us back in first place in the division and keeps us top 4 in the WC. Can't wait to watch this game.

[bondom34]

GG Nuggets, you guys are really good and deep this year.

[THE J0KER]

Great win in such an important game, despite our 2nd half was everything but great. I don't want even thinking what would happen if Westbrook scored that 3pt shot 2:30 left at 96-90. 2nd time this season on the road we outclassed an elite opponent in the 1st half but in the big parts of the 2nd played like zombies. But +21 on halftime was simple too much tonight.

Special credit to Nuggets team-Canada tonight. Murray with almost triple-double 22-8-8, and Lyles shooting perfect 6/6 16 pts game playing less than 20 minutes. This is a back-to-back good game for Lyles.

[TunaFish]

Back to back, quality opponent on the road and Harris out, sounds like a sure loss. Instead, it's a great team win. I'll take one of those anytime.

[NuggetsWY]

Too much standing around and not enough motion in the second half.
66 points in the first half and only 42 points in the second half.
17 FTs in the first half and only 7 in the second half.

This didn't have to be as close as it was but it was still very impressive.

[Maf]

Thought we gonna lose this one in second half. Don't say that often but Lyles was good. Say that even more rarely- Craig was even better! Great D, great rebounding.

[Richard Miller]

Too much standing around and not enough motion in the second half.
66 points in the first half and only 42 points in the second half.

Imo Murray had the ball way too much in his hands

[NuggetsWY]

Too much standing around and not enough motion in the second half.
66 points in the first half and only 42 points in the second half.

Imo Murray had the ball way too much in his hands

Yes I agree, however, with Jokic sitting on the bench so much ...

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[Richard Miller]

Too much standing around and not enough motion in the second half.
66 points in the first half and only 42 points in the second half.

Imo Murray had the ball way too much in his hands

Yes I agree, however, with Jokic sitting on the bench so much ...

Yea, but that was the case when Jokic wasn't on the bench as well - I don't have any numbers btw, just my impression having watched the game.

[skywalker33]

Imo Murray had the ball way too much in his hands

Yes I agree, however, with Jokic sitting on the bench so much ...

Yea, but that was the case when Jokic wasn't on the bench as well - I don't have any numbers btw, just my impression having watched the game.

Whether you like it or not, Murray looks to be the 2nd most talented player on this team. He's behind Harris right now but he is only 20yo and will get better with consistency and letting the game come to him more.

[Richard Miller]

Yes I agree, however, with Jokic sitting on the bench so much ...

Yea, but that was the case when Jokic wasn't on the bench as well - I don't have any numbers btw, just my impression having watched the game.

Whether you like it or not, Murray looks to be the 2nd most talented player on this team. He's behind Harris right now but he is only 20yo and will get better with consistency and letting the game come to him more.

Talented shooter for sure, however as PG he doesn't look very natural atm.

[NuggetsWY]

Yea, but that was the case when Jokic wasn't on the bench as well - I don't have any numbers btw, just my impression having watched the game.

Whether you like it or not, Murray looks to be the 2nd most talented player on this team. He's behind Harris right now but he is only 20yo and will get better with consistency and letting the game come to him more.

Talented shooter for sure, however as PG he doesn't look very natural atm.

Old thought that is total garbage. We've been hearing that since he was drafted. He was a PG all of his life until Kentucky made him SG because Ulis was shorter so he became the PG. Ulis is actually more of a SG IMO, like Iverson, sorta'.

Murray is the perfect PG for the Nuggets in the opinion of many. Jokic is the true point-player. Consider LeBron's PGs; Irving & now Ball. LeBron handles the ball more and they shoot more. Consider the Warriors; Curry is the PG but Durrant handles the ball more. Murray's job is to dribble the ball up court (sometimes, since almost all of the Nuggets can do that). He's then to pass the ball to Jokic and start cutting & spotting up. He's very good at that.

[Richard Miller]

Whether you like it or not, Murray looks to be the 2nd most talented player on this team. He's behind Harris right now but he is only 20yo and will get better with consistency and letting the game come to him more.

Talented shooter for sure, however as PG he doesn't look very natural atm.

Old thought that is total garbage. We've been hearing that since he was drafted. He was a PG all of his life until Kentucky made him SG because Ulis was shorter so he became the PG. Ulis is actually more of a SG IMO, like Iverson, sorta'.

Well the last game I don't know how many times he dribbled right into traffic or dribbled until the time was up and somebody had to launch a desperation shot, it was like was possessed by the ghost of Barton. I hope it's just a small sample though.

[NuggetsWY]

Talented shooter for sure, however as PG he doesn't look very natural atm.

Old thought that is total garbage. We've been hearing that since he was drafted. He was a PG all of his life until Kentucky made him SG because Ulis was shorter so he became the PG. Ulis is actually more of a SG IMO, like Iverson, sorta'.

Well the last game I don't know how many times he dribbled right into traffic or dribbled until the time was up and somebody had to launch a desperation shot, it was like was possessed by the ghost of Barton. I hope it's just a small sample though.

Yup, see those now and then. I call it the "Jokic-influence". He's the MVP of the Nuggets and his remarkable passes are so publicized that everyone wants to be like him. Let's consider something else though;

Last year and this year; our two top TO guys were Jokic & Murray. For this year;
Jokic averages 7.2 assists to 3.0 turnovers
Murray averages 4.4 to 2.3 --- so his rate isn't as nice but frankly, 2.3 TOs isn't that bad

Golden State for this year;
Green 7.2 to 3.3
Durrant 6.0 to 3.3
Curry 6.1 to 3.0

Number of TOs for Murray isn't great, but the percentage is indeed not good. So I agree with your dislike of his turnovers, but mark me down as relatively unconcerned.

[skywalker33]

Yea, but that was the case when Jokic wasn't on the bench as well - I don't have any numbers btw, just my impression having watched the game.

Whether you like it or not, Murray looks to be the 2nd most talented player on this team. He's behind Harris right now but he is only 20yo and will get better with consistency and letting the game come to him more.

Talented shooter for sure, however as PG he doesn't look very natural atm.

Denver is not the traditional team, therefore the Nuggets don't need/utilize a traditionasl PG. The Nuggets have been building around a Point Center in Jokic, around whom we need shooter/playmakers. That's Murray's role on this team. He happens to have some ball-handling skills which adds value to the team as a whole. Think position-less basketball and it make more sense.