DEN 136, CHI 120: Jokić Records Triple-Double, Posts 88 ESPN FP
Destiny Williams
Math Teacher & Basketball Coach · Atlanta Hawks fan
Jokić Does Jokić Things, But Murray and the Nuggets Role Players Stole the Show
Nikola Jokić had one of those nights where the stat line looks pedestrian until you actually watch it. 22 points, 14 rebounds, 17 assists, 4 blocks. Yeah, that's seven fewer points than his season average, but he was running a full clinic from the mid-post and basically controlling the entire game's pace. The reigning All-NBA center didn't need to go off for 35 because Denver's supporting cast finally showed up in a way that matters for fantasy purposes.
Here's your top performers from tonight:
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokić | 88.0 | 76.3 | 22/14/17 | 29.1/12.1/10.5 | -7.1 |
| Jamal Murray | 55.0 | 45.1 | 28/3/11 | 25.9/4.3/7.5 | +2.1 |
| Matas Buzelis | 37.0 | 35.1 | 21/8/3 | 15.0/5.3/2.0 | +6.0 |
| Bruce Brown | 36.0 | 30.6 | 10/3/4 | 7.5/4.1/2.1 | +2.5 |
| Anfernee Simons | 29.0 | 28.8 | 15/4/6 | 14.3/2.4/2.4 | +0.7 |
| Nick Richards | 30.0 | 28.4 | 15/7/0 | 3.2/3.3/0.3 | +11.8 |
| Julian Strawther | 29.0 | 28.0 | 19/5/0 | 5.2/1.9/1.0 | +13.8 |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | 26.0 | 27.1 | 23/3/1 | 13.9/2.6/1.4 | +9.1 |
| Jaden Ivey | 25.0 | 24.7 | 10/6/3 | 8.3/2.2/1.7 | +1.7 |
| Christian Braun | 24.0 | 22.8 | 10/4/2 | 9.1/4.1/2.7 | +0.9 |
Murray Finally Woke Up
Jamal Murray went absolutely nuclear. 28 points on 11-18 shooting with 4 threes and 11 dimes. That's +2.1 points vs his season average on clean, efficient scoring. This is the Murray you drafted, not the guy who's been inconsistent since the new year. 30 minutes of straight work, and the best part? His assist numbers popped to +3.5 above average. When Murray is clicking like this and the offense flows through him and Jokic, Denver becomes a different team.
For your fantasy squad, Murray just reminded you why he was a second-round consideration. If you've been fading him the last few weeks because of some rough stretches, tonight's your sign to get him in your lineup going forward.
The Nuggets Bench Actually Showed Up
This is the story nobody's talking about. Denver's supporting cast has been the weakest link, but tonight they got contributions from everywhere. Julian Strawther went absolutely nuclear off the bench with 19 points on 7-14 shooting, hitting 4 threes and going +13.8 vs his season average. That's a massive sign of life. Tim Hardaway Jr. wasn't messing around either, 23 points on 6-11 with 8-12 from the line. That's +9.1 pts vs average.
Here's the thing though, and I say this as someone who coaches girls who are learning shot selection: this kind of bench production is unsustainable. Strawther and Hardaway had career nights. Don't suddenly plug them into your weekly starters because of one game. But Christian Braun staying solid with 10/4/2 in 31 minutes is exactly what you want to see from a role guy. He's your floor, not your ceiling.
Chicago's Bright Spots Don't Save the Loss
The Bulls got cooked 136-120, which is less about individual fantasy performances and more about getting outgunned by a fully healthy Nuggets team. But there were some interesting things for managers watching this one closely.
Matas Buzelis went off for 21/8/3 on 7-13 shooting with 4 threes. That's +6.0 points vs average, and honestly, it's exactly the kind of game you're hoping to see from him. The guy's got upside. Nick Richards was a wild card off the bench, putting up 15/7 in just 19 minutes. That's +11.8 pts vs average on a 5-8 shooting line. If he's getting these kinds of minutes regularly, he's worth a look in deeper leagues, but this looked like garbage time opportunity more than anything sustainable.
Anfernee Simons was fine if not spectacular, 15/4/6 on 5-15 shooting. Season average stuff basically. Nothing to get excited about.
The Bottom Line
Denver's depth finally showed up, and it happened against a Bulls team that's not running on all cylinders. Jokic did his thing without needing to drop 35. Murray looked like the player everyone drafted. Role players hit shots.
In fantasy terms, this is great news for Jokic and Murray owners, obviously. But the real move here is watching Denver's bench for the next week. If Strawther and Hardaway stay in that rotation and continue getting 25+ minutes, they're lottery tickets worth grabbing. If they fall back to earth, this was just one of those random nights where bench guys go off.
For Chicago, Buzelis is intriguing but still too young in the season to make a major move on. Richards is a pass unless your league is 14+ teams deep.