Sometimes, you just need to hit the road, put your head down, block out the noise, and get the job done.
The Denver Nuggets completed a 2-0 road trip on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns. It was their first NBA Cup game, and while the Nuggets haven’t had much success in previous years in the NBA Cup, it was this game that they needed specifically.
Jamal Murray caught fire with 28 points in the second half, scoring 39 on the game to go with eight rebounds and five assists. It was a sudden barrage of points that Denver needed to outpace hot shooting from the Suns and give Denver the edge they needed down the stretch.
Murray got so hot that the Suns attempted to stop him any way they can with drastic measures. Dillon Brooks, Murray’s fellow Canadian, kicked out on a post fadeaway that drew an offensive foul for making downstairs contact. It was deemed unnecessary and excessive contact, drawing a Flagrant 2 and an ejection in the third quarter. Murray said he didn’t believe it was intentional though.
Christian Braun was perhaps the bigger story though with how he started the game, going 6-of-6 from three-point range for 22 points in the first half alone. Braun finished with a career-high 31 points and made a career-high seven threes, a continuation of his three-point shooting from Wednesday night’s fourth quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Braun’s three-point shooting has been such a divisive talking point for his worth as a starter in Denver’s system. After two strong shooting performances though, Braun’s suddenly averaging 15.4 points per game while shooting 40.0% from three (12-of-30). It remains a small sample size, but mixing in these aggressive shooting performances throughout the year goes a long way for taking pressure off of other Nuggets players as a spacer.
Murray and Braun combining for 70 points and 14 made three-pointers meant the rest of the Nuggets just needed to fill in the gaps.
Nikola Jokic had a near triple-double though he fell short rebounding. Cam Johnson returned to the starting lineup after missing three games with an ankle injury, knocking off some rust shooting but grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing 3 assists. Aaron Gordon found opportunities throughout the night with 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Denver’s starters combined for 115 points while the bench contributed just 12. That’s not a sustainable strategy, but it shows the power of Denver’s starting group and some of the staggered lineups they’re playing to make up for a shortened rotation.
But to me, the biggest key to this game (and the New Orleans win) wasn’t just about scoring, or defense, or talented breakout moments.
It was about being on the road at the right time.
It’s no secret that there’s pressure at home right now. The fan base is angsty, hoping for good performances but clearly stressed during the early portion of the season, It’s been over three years since Denver won a championship, and while the goodwill generated from that will never go away for many fans, some are clearly hoping to see a resurgence in Denver and are feeling the heat when it isn’t happening.
Doesn’t matter that it’s still October. Doesn’t matter that the playoffs aren’t happening for another five months. The expectations remain high, and fans are more present than they’ve been in a while in terms of seeing possible issues and worrying about them.
So, how do the players and the organization respond? By playing well. What’s the best way to play well? To not always be reminded of that weight on the shoulders from a fan base that wants to cheer, but also wants results.
Going on the road, in my opinion, was the best thing that could’ve happened for Denver after that Golden State Warriors loss. The Nuggets focused in on defense on Wednesday night, allowing just 91 points to New Orleans after allowing 135 in overtime four days prior. On Friday, Denver focused on offensive process, and it led to elite shot quality and a career night for a player who got a major boost on this road trip in Christian Braun.
Winning a title isn’t going to happen in October, but a team can take steps towards that goal at any time. These last two games have been steps in the right direction, stacking days so to speak. If Denver can continues to stack days, stack moments, and go through the process in a healthy way, they will be a much better team when the critical moments come around.
For now, it’s another positive moment, and it happened in the NBA Cup. The Nuggets are 1-0 in Group Play, and after a loss by the Houston Rockets to the Dallas Mavericks, the Nuggets are one step closer toward winning their group for the first time since the NBA Cup began.
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