Jokic Goes Ghost, But Nuggets Still Wreck Clippers Behind Murray

The Denver Nuggets cruised to an impressive 120-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, as Jamal Murray led the charge with a game-high 20 points. The thrilling win came despite an unusually quiet night from the team's MVP candidate, Nikola Jokic.

Jokic, who had exploded for 56 and 48 points in the last two games, saw an untimely slump as he finished the night with a season-low two points. However, his teammates came to the rescue, ensuring that the Nuggets dominated the Clippers for nearly the entire game.

From the tip-off, Denver came out firing on all cylinders. Murray, who had struggled with his shot for a significant part of the season, finally showed signs of heating up. His efficient shooting coupled with precise ball movement enabled the Nuggets to start strong and hold onto a double-digit lead for the majority of the first half.

As the game neared the midway mark, Denver continued to pour on the points. With Murray continuously impressing on offense, other teammates stepped up and played solid basketball as well. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Michael Porter Jr. joined Murray in scoring in double figures, showcasing the balance that the Nuggets possess and making it extremely difficult for the Clippers to counter.

Despite Jokic failing to produce, the Nuggets were also phenomenal on the defensive end. Denver held Los Angeles to under 45% shooting from the field, including under 35% from the 3-point line. The stifling defense enabled the Nuggets to exert control and play at their desired tempo.

As the game entered the fourth quarter, it was clear that Denver was not going to be caught off guard. With the Clippers down by as many as 20 points with just minutes to go in the game, the writing was on the wall – this would be an embarrassing blowout loss for Los Angeles.

Though the Clippers attempted to steal some momentum in the final quarter, the margin had grown too large to overcome. Denver played with poise and confidence to seal the win and send the Clippers falling to another despairing defeat.

In his post-game interview, Murray mentioned that he was feeling more confident in his shot and wanted to build upon this performance going forward. 'I was just going to stay in my zone and let the ball come to me. It paid off tonight,' he said with a grin. 'The teammates believe in me, the coaches believe in me – that's all that matters.' The Nuggets hope for continued stellar performances from Murray as they forge ahead into the NBA season.