Sometimes all you need is the right matchup to break out of a slump. That was certainly the case for the Denver Nuggets, who took advantage of a struggling Memphis Grizzlies’ defense in a 131-114 blowout victory Sunday. The game was close throughout the first 15 or so minutes before Denver blew the game open down the stretch of the second quarter and never looked back.
“To start the season 5-1 on the road is incredible,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “I give our players a tremendous amount of credit. They understand that in order for us to get where we want to go, we have to win these games.”
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair as the two teams traded extended scoring runs. Jamal Murray scored the first nine points of the game for Denver, which took an early 9-2 lead. The Grizzlies (5-8) responded with a 21-3 scoring run as they knocked down five 3-pointers. However, the Nuggets (9-3) then regrouped and had a 10-2 scoring run of their own to get back into the game. Ultimately, Memphis took a 32-28 lead into the second quarter, as Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points. Murray led the way for Denver with 16 points in the frame.
Fueled by the second unit, the Nuggets took control of the game throughout the second quarter. Denver’s second unit set the tone, as the team ran more in transition and attacked the basket. A 22-2 run by the Nuggets gave them an 18-point lead late in the quarter as the starters found a groove on both ends of the floor. Denver’s defense clamped down in the frame, as Memphis scored just 17 points in the entire quarter, compared to 44 for the Nuggets, who took a 72-49 lead into the halftime break. A 23-3 advantage in fast break points propelled the offense to a dominant performance in the quarter.
Denver continued to pile on with a 7-0 run to open the third quarter, which extended the lead to 30 points at 79-49. Although Memphis continued to try and fight back with a flurry of 3-pointers (five total in the quarter), the Nuggets were locked in on both ends of the floor and took a 108-80 lead heading into the final frame.
The Grizzlies dug deep into their bench to open the fourth quarter as the game was out of reach. However, Memphis wasn’t able to make much of a dent into Denver’s lead, as the teams traded baskets during the opening stages of the quarter. Despite a late 10-0 run by Memphis, Denver held on down the stretch for the comfortable victory.
Here are some takeaways from Denver’s win:
A second quarter for the ages
After another slow start, it appeared that Denver was in store for another back-and-forth game that went down to the wire. However, a surge from the second unit to begin the second quarter changed the fortunes of the game, as the Nuggets dominated Memphis and opened up a commanding lead before the halftime break.
“We got it going (in that quarter),” Malone said. “The energy, the ball movement, we were able to get out and run and made shots at a high level.”
A 44-17 advantage in the quarter gave Denver a 72-49 lead at the half, which proved to be insurmountable. A 24-4 run throughout the middle stages of the quarter highlighted how good the Nuggets can be on both ends of the floor and essentially put the game to bed before halftime.
A big bounce-back performance from Murray
After a four-point, 1-of-11 shooting performance against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, Murray rebounded in a big way on Sunday. The fourth-year guard finished with 39 points on 14-of-24 shooting from the field, including 7-of-12 from beyond the arc. Murray also added eight assists and three steals in the game.
“I had a feeling that he was going to come out and shoot the ball at a high level,” Malone said. “Not only was his scoring impressive, but (he had) eight assists with no turnovers. I thought he did a good job of valuing the ball and sharing the ball.”
With all the hype surrounding the Grizzlies’ Rookie of the Year frontrunner Ja Morant, Murray reminded why many expect him to develop into an All-star guard in the coming years with an explosive scoring performance.
“It’s just bouncing back,” Murray said. “I just wanted to bounce back, be aggressive and lead my team, whether I miss or make shots.”
The offense breaks out of a slump
Coming into Sunday’s matchup with the Grizzlies, all of the attention was on the Nuggets’ offense, which had struggled to open the season up until this point. After all, Denver entered Sunday with the 22nd-ranked offensive rating in the league, despite finishing in the top seven in each of the past three seasons.
Against Memphis, the Nuggets shot 55.1 percent from the field, including 56.3 from beyond the arc. The ball movement was on point (36 assists), while a nice mixture of half-court offense and fast break points (29 on the night) fueled the breakout performance.
“I think that’s a fun way to play, when you can play defense, rebound and then get out and run before they can set their defense,” Malone added. “It was great.”