The Denver Nuggets got a big boost to the lineup on Friday as they welcomed back three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. 

Jokic had been out since December 29th with a knee injury and was limited to just 25 minutes against the Los Angeles Clippers, but as he always does, he managed to impact the game in a variety of ways in the 122-109 victory. 

Jokic finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists in the contest, picking up where he left off before the injury. 

He also managed to get to the free-throw line 17 times, taking just four fewer free throws than the entire Clippers team. 

After the game, Nuggets guard spoke to the media about the return of arguably the best player in the NBA. 

"He's just a constant in every category, every stat. He's just going at his own pace. He wanted me to keep playing my game and stay aggressive, but it's just a different feel when he's out there," said Murray. 

Murray finished with 20 points, four rebounds, and nine assists. While his scoring was down from the torrid pace he was going at with Jokic out of the lineup, Murray's playmaking continued to shine. 

While Jokic was sidelined, Murray averaged 8.3 assists per game. His career high in a season, before this year, was 6.5 assists. 

Murray noted that the Nuggets wanted to get the ball in Jokic's hands so he could get a feel for the game again. He said Jokic had a couple of turnovers due to not playing for a month and the Clippers' pressuring him. 

Jokic was only credited with one turnover in the game. 

When Jokic went down with an injury against the Miami Heat at the end of December, many wondered if the Nuggets could survive without him.

Starters Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cameron Johnson were also out of the lineup, putting even more responsibility on Murray's shoulders. It didn't help that backup center Jonas Valanciunas suffered an injury almost immediately after Jokic. 

Murray stepped up in Jokic's absence, helping the team go 7-5 in the 12 games without Jokic, averaging 27.8 points while shooting 49% from the field and 40% from three on 6.6 attempts per game. 

He got help from the likes of Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr, who increased their scoring output in Jokic's absence as well. Watson averaged 22.1 points per game, shooting 44% from three on 5.3 attempts. Hardaway Jr averaged 15.5 points per game and connected on 38% of his threes on 8.4 attempts per game. 

Despite not having Jokic, the Nuggets remained a top-three seed in the West.