Nikola Jokic is urging the Denver Nuggets to step up and match the production of their star point guard, Jamal Murray. 

Before the season, because of the Nuggets' lack of offseason activity, it quickly became clear that if Denver was to have any chance of competing in the stacked Western Conference, Murray would have to play like an All-Star again. 

Coming off his first All-Star nod last year — through the first nine games — he has been everything the Nuggets need and more. However, the team is far from where it aspires to be. 

The Nuggets dropped to 5-4 — 10th in the West — after their 110-100 road loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday. 

The tough defeat after a rough travel experience from Mexico City following their 114-102 victory against the Indiana Pacers last week snapped a two-game win streak. 

However, on the balance of everything we've seen so far, the Nuggets are probably where they deserve to be, and that's on the fringes of the play-in. 

At first glance, though, the root of the problem isn't obvious, as Murray and Jokic are playing well. 

Murray is averaging 25.8 points and just posted his fourth 30+ point game of the campaign — third in the last five — when he scored 38 against the Rockets. Jokic (23.1 ppg) added a near triple-double (25 points, 16 rebounds, 9 assists), but it was not enough for Denver to pick up its third straight win. 

Why? Because their depth, or lack thereof, is quickly becoming a crutch — as anticipated — much to Jokic's frustration. 

"He's amazing," the Serb said of Murray's play this season. "His decision-making, his shot-making; he's a pure scorer. He's definitely playing at a high level right now, and we need to follow him. He's definitely our leader right now, and everybody needs to step up."

Jokic calling Murray the Nuggets' leader is a lot coming from one of the game's all-time greats. And it could be mistaken for a cry for help because the duo cannot do this on their own. 

The Nuggets' depth and role players really let them down in what ended up being a close one in Houston after they trailed by as many as 19 points. Denver came back to tie it but couldn't get over the line. 

Murray shot 14-for-23 from the field, and Jokic went 11-for-21. The rest of the starters were 5-for-19, combining for 15 points. 

Things didn't get a whole lot better off the bench, with the second unit contributing 22 points, led by 7 from DeMar DeRozan (2-for-8 FG) in 19 minutes. The Nuggets shot 8-for-29 from beyond the arc. 

The Rockets countered with four starters in double figures and sixth man Tari Eason posting 12 points. Kevin Durant led the hosts with 23 points, and Alperen Sengun added 20 — something the Nuggets will have a hard time competing with all year if they don't make a move.