Why Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic Are Still One of The Top Duos In the NBA

Through the first 10 games of the 2026-2027 season, the Denver Nuggets are 6-4 and have had their ups and downs. They’ve had games where they’ve looked flat, but they’ve also had games where their core veterans have taken over and outmatched other teams. 

One constant for this team this season, and for several seasons now, has been the duo of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. Both players are off to impressive starts to their seasons and have led the Nuggets to early success. 

Jamal Murray is currently leading Denver in scoring as he’s averaging 26.2 points per game. He has been the lead guard for the Nuggets for several seasons now, and his performance has not taken much of a dip since assuming the role. 

Nikola Jokic has also been playing at a high level, as he’s averaging 23.5 points per game, 10.8 rebounds, and 9 assists. 

With these stats and success, these two have proven that they’re still one of the top duos in the NBA right now. The consistency of Murray and Jokic has been the most consistent part of this franchise, and while there were thoughts that the Nuggets could deal Jamal Murray in the offseason, he has proven them right by not trading him so far. 

What makes this duo so great is the way both of them complement each other’s play style. Murray is a guard who can do it all on offense, and he can play really well off the screen if needed. 

Jokic is also a very versatile big man, and he can set up  Jamal Murray in different ways to score. Murray is good at playing off the ball whenever Jokic is tasked with making decisions and running the offense, and it makes the Nuggets dangerous as a team. 

Moving forward, unless the team suffers a lot of losses in a hurry, it would not make sense for Denver to consider trading Jamal Murray. He and Jokic have been a consistent tandem for nearly a decade and are still playing at a high level. 

For this team to get back to championship contender status, the supporting cast will have to step up and play their roles in order to have success. 

Other teams have yet to slow them down, and the Nuggets have to be grateful that Jokic and Murray are still capable of being the driving force behind this team's success.