The Denver Nuggets continue to work through their schedule without Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun, and the team has struggled defensively as a result. Even though they have one of the best offensive players in NBA history in Nikola Jokic, trying to win games by simply outscoring the opponent isn't the best recipe for long-term success.

On Friday night, the Nuggets faced the Atlanta Hawks on the road, facing a rather healthy Hawks team that still has Trae Young sidelined. However, the team has been strong offensively without him, and proved that by going toe-to-toe with Denver in a 134-133 final score that went in the Nuggets' favor.

David Adelman's Praise For Jamal Murray

Nikola Jokic had a game-high 40 points, paired with nine rebounds and eight assists in what is considered a quiet game from the all-time great. Right behind him, as usual, was Jamal Murray, who poured in 23 points in an efficient scoring night while also dishing out 12 assists. After the game, head coach David Adelman shared some high praise for his star guard.

"I also think there's a certain respect that has to be given to the fact that he has the ball all the time. And to have 12 assists in the second half is a testament to him making the right play over and over. And then you couple that with the late defensive plays, battling in the post...he's playing as good as anybody right now," Adelman said.

While Murray isn't a player often known for his defensive abilities, he's shown an ability to step up at times and was a big help in a high-scoring game between the Hawks and Nuggets.

Game Takeaways

Cameron Johnson had a solid game for the Nuggets, having 16 points with a strong +15 plus-minus. However, it was Denver's bench that was the main key in this matchup. Tim Hardaway Jr. led the team in bench scoring with 17 points, as Bruce Brown added 13 points and Jonas Valanciunas had a strong eight points in 12 minutes of very productive action.

Given the Nuggets were able to walk away with a win in a contest where Jalen Johnson had 21 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists for the Hawks, it's a major win for Denver considering the key players they have sidelined.

Even though the Hawks played a great game, the Nuggets did just a tad more to have things work in their favor. Looking ahead, they'll return to action on Sunday to face the Charlotte Hornets at 6:00 p.m. EST.