DEN 128, UTA 125: Jamal Murray Steps Up as DEN Survives
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Jasmine "Jazz" Porter
University Student · Oklahoma City Thunder fan
Jamal Murray Just Reminded Everyone He's Built Different
Nuggets scraped past the Jazz 128-125 in a game that came down to execution in the final minutes. For fantasy purposes though, the real story was a clinic from Jamal Murray and some seriously encouraging bench depth from Denver that's worth paying attention to.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamal Murray | 71.0 | 58.4 | 45/2/8 | 25.3/4.4/7.3 | +19.7 |
| Keyonte George | 59.0 | 49.4 | 36/2/2 | 23.6/3.9/6.5 | +12.4 |
| Nikola Jokić | 46.0 | 46.9 | 22/12/5 | 28.8/12.6/10.5 | -6.8 |
| Kyle Filipowski | 45.0 | 40.6 | 19/8/6 | 10.0/6.6/2.1 | +9.0 |
| Ace Bailey | 26.0 | 25.8 | 18/4/0 | 11.9/4.1/1.7 | +6.1 |
| Jonas Valančiūnas | 27.0 | 24.7 | 13/6/1 | 8.8/5.1/1.2 | +4.2 |
| Svi Mykhailiuk | 27.0 | 23.6 | 15/3/2 | 9.0/2.4/1.9 | +6.0 |
| Christian Braun | 24.0 | 23.2 | 11/6/4 | 10.8/4.7/2.8 | +0.2 |
| Oscar Tshiebwe | 25.0 | 22.1 | 8/8/1 | 2.7/3.3/0.8 | +5.3 |
| Isaiah Collier | 22.0 | 19.4 | 10/2/6 | 11.0/2.5/7.3 | -1.0 |
Murray Went Nuclear
Jamal Murray dropped 45 points on 13-19 shooting with 8 threes. That's 58.4 Yahoo points on basically a perfect shooting night. More importantly, he was +19.7 from his season average, meaning this wasn't just a monster line, it was an elite outlier performance. He finished 11-12 from the line too, which tells you Utah's defense was scrambling to contain him all night.
Here's the thing though: Murray's season average sits at 25.3 PPG already. He's been consistent all year. Tonight was him turning it up in a close game that mattered. That's encouraging for his fantasy value going forward, but don't expect 45 every night. Still, if you have him in your league, you're holding a guy who can absolutely take over. This is exactly the kind of performance you want to see from a star player when the pressure's on.
Keyonte George Showed Up Too
Keyonte George had one of those nights where everything clicked. 36 points on 14-22 shooting, which is 49.4 Yahoo points and +12.4 from his average. He wasn't even forcing it, just playing team basketball and getting buckets whenever they came.
The concerning part? Only 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals. For a guy who's been trending as a point guard, those assist numbers are quietly rough. Against Denver's defense, you'd expect more playmaking opportunities. But 36 points gets the job done in fantasy, and he's clearly become a scoring focal point for Utah.
Jokic Had An Off Night But Still Contributed
Nikola Jokic finished with 22/12/5 on 6-11 shooting. That sounds fine on its face, but it's -6.8 from his season average for scoring. The rebound numbers held up (12 is right on brand), and he still dropped 46.9 Yahoo points. Even on a down night, the reigning MVP contributes enough to be valuable. That's what separates elite players from everyone else.
The Bench Depth Nobody Expected
Here's where things get spicy. Kyle Filipowski came off the bench and posted 19/8/6 on 5-8 shooting in 29 minutes. That's 40.6 Yahoo points and +9.0 from his season average. For a guy averaging 10.0 PPG on the year, this was a legit breakout. Denver's starting frontcourt has been solid all season, but Filipowski is showing he can contribute meaningful minutes when it matters.
Jonas Valančiūnas also looked engaged, going 4-6 for 13 points with 6 boards in just 17 minutes. +4.2 from average on limited playing time. He's a solid stream option when Denver needs interior depth.
On Utah's side, Svi Mykhailiuk went 5-10 from deep (4 threes) for 15 points. That's exactly what you want from a floor spacer off the bench.
The Takeaway
This was a close game where Denver's stars delivered in crunch time and their bench stepped up. For fantasy, the lesson is simple: Jamal Murray just proved why you shouldn't trade him away cheap. He's capable of taking over games. Keyonte George remains a solid points contributor for the Jazz, even if assist production is a question mark.
Kyle Filipowski is probably the most interesting move here if you're in deeper leagues or looking for cheap upside. He proved he can get meaningful minutes and contribute on both ends. If Denver sees him as a long-term play, that 30-minute night could become more consistent.