Murray discusses what's driving the team's success without Nikola Jokic.
The Denver Nuggets continue to find ways to win while Nikola Jokic recovers from his knee injury, and Saturday night was no different.
Led by Jamal Murray's big-time performance, Denver pulled out a tough 121-115 victory over the Washington Wizards at Ball Arena.
The win pushed the Nuggets to 29-13 on the season, while the Wizards dropped to 10-31.
Murray was spectacular, finishing with 42 points and six assists on 15-24 shooting from the field and 5-8 from three-point range.
It marked his third 40-point game of the season, and he continues to show why he deserves to be an All-Star for the first time in his career.
Murray on the Nuggets' Fight-or-Flight Mindset
Speaking after the game, Murray emphasized the team's approach during this stretch without their star center.
"We have to. We don't have any room for error," Murray said about locking in without Jokic. "We have no choice. We have to come up with the energy or else we'll get thumped."
Murray went on to explain the team's consistency during this tough stretch.
"I think it's just a fight-or-flight mentality with this whole team," Murray continued. "The consistency has been really fun to see just because it's so easy to just let it slide or just lay back for a second, but we have been, as a whole unit, just bringing the energy and bringing the game to the team that we're facing."
The Nuggets are now 7-3 in the ten games since Jokic went down, and a lot of that success comes from Murray's leadership and shot-making ability.
He's averaging career-highs in points (25.8 PPG), assists (7.5 APG), and three-point shooting (44.8 percent), which has caught the attention of those calling for his first All-Star selection.
Hardaway Jr. Provides Crucial Bench Support
While Murray led the charge, Tim Hardaway Jr. was huge off the bench with 30 points on 10-18 shooting.
Hardaway has been one of the key reasons Denver has stayed competitive during this injury-plagued stretch, shooting career-highs of 45.9 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from three this season.
Nuggets head coach David Adelman praised Murray's ability to create offense for his teammates. "There are certain people in our league that can do things other guys can't," Adelman said after the game. "Jamal's a shot maker."
With Jokic nearing a return and the team continuing to play hard every night, the Nuggets look like a team ready to make some noise in the second half of the season. Denver hosts the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.