Nuggets 121, Wizards 115: Jamal Murray posts 61.6 fantasy points
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician ยท Boston Celtics fan
Jamal Murray Put the Wizards in the Spin Cycle, But Where Was Jokic?
Alright, so the Nuggets beat the Wizards 121-115 last night, and here's the thing nobody's talking about yet, Jokic didn't play. Yeah, you read that right. The reigning All-NBA first teamer, the guy who averages 29.6 points and 12.2 boards, was completely MIA. So basically the Nuggets won without their best player and still covered, which tells you everything you need to know about Denver's depth right now. But let's get into who actually showed up, because Jamal Murray went absolutely nuclear, and that's the story you need to pay attention to.
Tonight's Top Performers
| Player | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | vs Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamal Murray | 61.6 | 42/3/6 | 26.2/4.5/7.4 | +15.8 pts |
| Kyshawn George | 56.5 | 29/5/7 | 15.4/5.6/4.9 | +13.6 pts |
| Aaron Gordon | 38.5 | 8/10/11 | 18.0/6.4/2.3 | +3.6 reb, +8.7 ast |
| Peyton Watson | 34.0 | 21/5/2 | 14.0/5.0/1.9 | +7.0 pts |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | 30.4 | 30/2/0 | 14.2/2.4/1.4 | +15.8 pts |
| Justin Champagnie | 32.3 | 13/9/1 | 7.1/5.7/1.1 | +5.9 pts, +3.3 reb |
The Winners
Jamal Murray went absolutely OFF. 42 points on 15-24 from the field (62.5%), 5 threes, perfect from the line at 7-8. That's a +15.8 point performance versus his 26.2 average, and the crazy part is this wasn't some random explosion. Murray was methodical. He got 39 minutes and just took what the Wizards gave him all night. 61.6 Yahoo points is elite tier stuff. The question now is whether this is him stepping up without Jokic or just a really good night. Either way, he's a lock for your lineup going forward.
Tim Hardaway Jr. came out of nowhere and dropped 30 on 10-18 shooting with 5 threes. That's +15.8 points versus his pathetic 14.2 average. The thing is, Hardaway's been a complete dud this season averaging barely 14 points. Is this the real him emerging or a one-night stand? Given he only played 35 minutes and got this hot, I'm leaning fluke, but worth monitoring if the minutes stay this high.
Kyshawn George was the best player on the floor for the Wizards. 29 points, 5 boards, 7 assists on 10-20 shooting with 5 threes. That's +13.6 points versus his 15.4 average. George looked locked in and in control all night. The kid's 24 years old and actually looks like he belongs.
The Letdowns
Aaron Gordon was a total tease. He grabbed 11 boards and had 11 assists, which looks great on paper, but he only dropped 8 points on 3-8 shooting. Yeah, he was +3.6 on rebounds and +8.7 on assists versus average, but fantasy scoring doesn't reward assists like that when you're only getting 8 points. 38.5 Yahoo points is respectable but way below what an All-Defensive caliber player should deliver.
Tre Johnson of the Wizards was absolutely brutal. The kid went 1-10 from the field and only scored 4 points in 30 minutes. That's -8.3 points versus his 12.3 average. He got the minutes but couldn't do anything with them. This is panic territory if you're holding him.
The Trends
The biggest story here is Jokic sitting out. The Nuggets still won comfortably, which means Murray had to be the primary ball handler and scorer. That's a huge minutes and usage bump for Jamal, and if Jokic's dealing with any kind of nagging injury, Murray's value just went nuclear. Keep an eye on Denver's injury report hard.
Aaron Gordon getting 32 minutes and 11 assists is interesting. He's getting more playmaking responsibility without Jokic running everything. If that trend continues, his assist value climbs, but he's gotta actually score buckets.
Kyshawn George logging 31 minutes and looking comfortable is what you want to see from a young player. He's not a one-hit wonder, he's getting legit opportunities.
The Moves
Add Jamal Murray if he's still available. Realistically he's probably already rostered, but if he's on the wire in your league, that's malpractice. Even with Jokic back, Murray's your second scoring option in Denver and he just proved he can carry a game.
Drop Tre Johnson immediately. 1-10 is unforgivable. 30 minutes of roster death. Move on.
Trade target: Aaron Gordon's assist floor is rising. If you can get him at a discount thinking he flopped tonight, grab him. 11 assists is real and that's going to keep happening without Jokic running the full show.
Next Up
Watch the Nuggets' injury report obsessively. If Jokic's back next game, Murray's usage goes down. If he's out again, Murray stays in fantasy hero status. The Wizards need Tre Johnson to not be completely cooked, and Kyshawn George needs to keep getting 30+ minutes. That's your move meter right there.