Two nights ago, Jamal Murray only had 10 points against the Portland Trail Blazers. For a team without Nikola Jokic, his underperforming night led to a major upset. The Nuggets lost by 19. In comparison, tonight was a stark contrast. They faced a Rockets team that had won nine straight games. However, tonight the ball did reach the Canadian guard, and he delivered consistently securing a pivotal win for the Nuggets.

Murray poured in 39 points against a robust defense that the Rockets boast. His 17-point third quarter helped the Nuggets build a commanding lead that would survive Houston’s rally in the last quarter. This was a much-awaited performance from the 28-year-old who assumes the onus of the team in the absence of the Joker.

But to Michael Malone, his underwhelming night against the Trail Blazers wasn’t his fault. He felt obligated to put Jamal Murray in a position where he can explode as he did tonight. “It’s also my job to make sure he can’t have 10 field goal attempts on the game. That’s that’s not Jamal’s fault, that’s my fault, that’s his teammate’s fault. We got to get Jamal Murray more than 10 shots,” Malone said after the win.

Tonight, Murray was the focal point. He took 28 shots against the Rockets imposing himself on them. That was the sign Malone was looking for all along. “An aggressive Jamal Murray is a very effective Jamal Murray,” he says. Those words came to life tonight. The Rockets defense couldn’t keep him from getting to his spots.

Furthermore, Murray operated as the nucleus of the team, also dishing out a team-high 7 assists. The selflessness and trust of his teammates played a major role in his successful night. And it coming with the postseason around the corner is surely another boost for the Nuggets.

In four games without Nikola Jokic now, the Nuggets have gone 2-2. He’s still bound to miss a few more games. But with Murray taking on the heavy lifting, Denver remains a very dangerous team.

The power of support and belief

Due to his struggles last season and the Paris Olympics, people forgot how effective Murray can be. Even to start this season, the 28-year-old wasn’t playing his best basketball. He only averaged 18.8 points in November while shooting under 32% from three. But the issue was never him depreciating. Murray just needed confidence.

And Malone has always been raving about his skills. Through his struggles, all he told the fans and the media is Murray is trying to find himself. The constant belief from his coach and teammates allowed Jamal Murray to keep working on himself. And once he did, consistency just followed.

Since November, there hasn’t been a single month where he has averaged less than 20 points per game. Why is that significant? Whenever he has scored 20 or more, the Nuggets have a record of 24-10. On nights like tonight where Jamal Murray has scored 30 or more, Denver has only lost one of those 11 games.

It’s clear that there is a direct correlation between the Nuggets’ success and Murray’s rhythm. Now with his feet well set and the revitalized confidence, the Nuggets are back to looking lethal. And once Nikola Jokic returns, the team will be equipped with its fascinating pick and roll duo once again.

However, going into the playoffs one thing is clear, the Nuggets need Jamal Murray to fire regularly. And as of late, he has reached that mark more and more frequently.