The Denver Nuggets’ interim head coach, David Adelman, had sensed one of Jamal Murray’s special performances coming ahead of Game 5. Indeed, his senses were right on the money! Murray put up an incredible 43-point explosive performance, leading the Nuggets to a 131-115 win over the LA Clippers. This win has put Nikola Jokic and Co. in the driver’s seat of the series as they now possess a 3-2 lead over the Clippers. Murray went 17-of-26 from the field, including 8 three-pointers! While he led the team, his teammates helped him big time, especially on the defensive end of the court.

Russell Westbrook scored 21 points on his return from an unfortunate left foot injury. Meanwhile, Game 4’s unlikely hero, Aaron Gordon, chipped in another 23 points, and Nikola Jokic put up his 21st career playoff triple-double performance. The Joker has an impressive 13/10/12 stat line on the night. There’s no doubt that all these players played crucial roles in Denver’s massive victory over the Clippers in Game 5. However, according to Nikola Jokić, there’s one player who deserves much more credit despite his stat line not being as impressive as the rest of the players. The Denver big man lauded his teammate, Andre Jordan, for his performance.

The 36-year-old, according to the Joker, is the unsung hero of this Nuggets team. “I think he had really good minutes. You know he has impact… impactful minutes. He was there. He was setting screens, he was doing what he’s supposed to be.” Jokic said after the win. “He did it in a professional way. So you know he was not mad or angry that he’s playing like 8-7, 8-6 minutes, depends on the night, and he’s doing it professionally. So that was a good bat and a good player like DJ, that was his character.” If you did not watch the game and just look at the stat sheet, you might not understand what Jokic is trying to imply. Jordan clocked in for just 10 minutes and finished the night with two assists, two rebounds, and a single block.

While it might not look much, he did what he needed to, like setting up screens and defending. Whenever the Joker needs a breather, Adelman seems to trust Jordan, which speaks volumes. Unlike Michael Malone, the former Nuggets head coach, Adelman trusts Jordan’s experience and abilities. Well, this doesn’t mean he can produce like Jokic, what seems to hold the water until Denver’s main man returns. Moreover, Nikola Jokic praised the veteran’s professional attitude despite getting limited time on the court. These are things that go under the radar many times, but Jokic made sure DeAndre Jordan got his props for his massive contribution. Meanwhile, Denver might just have found their solution to stop the nightmare called James Harden.

Has Denver finally found a solution to their James Harden problem?

The Denver Nuggets closed out the Clippers comfortably Tuesday night. While their offensive performance was great, the defensive end was where they made the difference. Late in the third quarter, with Denver up 96-82 and the Nuggets fans sensing a victory coming their way, they started “HAR-DEN S–KS!” chants. The Ball Arena was disgusted with James Harden for much of the series because of his unique method of drawing fouls and, of course, his scoring abilities. He made his free throw and quieted the fans. However, the fans pivoted pretty soon. They started chanting “YOU STILL S–K“, as Harden’s second attempt nicked off the rim.

Perhaps that was the summary of the Clippers’ guard’s night. Harden was lifeless for the majority of the night as he shot a terrible 3-of-9 from the floor. The reason for his struggles? Christian Braun. The Nuggets forward took it upon himself to stop Harden on the night. Indeed, he did just that! Braun stuck to Harden like glue as the Denver star finished the night with an impressive double-double. Braun scored 11 points to go along with his team-high 12 rebounds. Braun came out on top in this matchup against the Clippers veteran. After the game, Nikola Jokic praised the 24-year-old’s efforts. “He’s definitely… he’s accepting the challenge.” Jokic after the game.

“You know James (Harden) is an amazing player, a Hall of Famer. Some moments unstoppable player, especially defensively. You know, and he has a great, great group of guys around him. So CB (Christian Braun) is accepting the challenge, you know, he knows that he’s going to make some shots. He knows he’s going to go by him, but you know, being there every time means something.” The Joker was impressed by Braun’s heroics guarding one of the best guards in the league. He acknowledged that going up against Harden isn’t easy and that you’re not going to succeed every time, but contesting every shot matters. Indeed, it does. Christian Braun’s performance showcased that. This is something which the Nuggets will need more of heading to the Intuit Dome for Game 6 with one win away from advancing to the next round.