Three Takeaways From Denver’s Season-Saving Game 5 Win Over Utah

Early in the third quarter of Game 5 on Tuesday evening, the Denver Nuggets looked to be in severe trouble against the Utah Jazz. Donovan Mitchell and company led by as many as 15 points after halftime but, with a strong push at the end of the third quarter and an offensive blitz led by Jamal Murray in the fourth, the Nuggets avoided elimination and forced a Game 6 in style.

With that in mind, here are three takeaways from Game 5 to inform the proceedings on both sides.

Jamal Murray is on the heater of a lifetime

Jamal Murray is very good. This was well known before he even arrived in the NBA’s bubble, but the Nuggets guard took things to another level during Game 4 and followed it up by raising the stakes yet again in Game 5. Murray produced 50 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists (without a turnover) in a losing effort on Sunday but, this time around, he was the impetus in a victory.

On the night, Murray scored 42 points (on 17-for-26 shooting), grabbed eight rebounds and dished out eight assists, which is impressive enough on its own. In the second half, though, Murray was completely out of his mind, playing all 24 minutes and scoring 33 points on only 19 shooting possessions.

Along the way, Murray flashed the entire package, starting with a circus layup.

Then, he unleashed a shooting exhibition.

https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1298426969252483072

Finally, Murray iced the game by using his hot hand to draw the defense and find Nikola Jokic for the dagger.

It is fair to point out that Utah’s defense hasn’t been fantastic on Murray (more on that below), but the 23-year-old is thoroughly enjoying himself right now, and it is a lot of fun to watch.

The Nuggets still have defensive problems, headlined by Michael Porter Jr., but things were better in the second half

In the first quarter of Game 5, the Nuggets shot 52 percent and 7-for-11 from three-point range, with 21 points on 8-for-8 shooting from Jokic. It was a highly impressive offensive display but, unfortunately for Denver, it yielded only a one-point lead and that required a buzzer-beater from Jokic.

https://twitter.com/nuggets/status/1298399829488357376

Denver’s defensive issues continued in the second quarter and, after the first four games, that wasn’t an overwhelming surprise. The Nuggets allowed 131.1 points per 100 possessions in falling into a 3-1 series hole and, without Gary Harris and Will Barton, Denver’s perimeter defense has been virtually nonexistent. Those issues aren’t solved after a stronger second half but, to their credit, the Nuggets executed at a much higher level, holding the Jazz to 43 percent shooting, forcing eight turnovers and providing legitimate resistance around the rim.

Mike Malone’s task will be inspiring that kind of effort again in Game 6 and (if needed) Game 7, but youngster Michael Porter Jr. is having his own set of problems. By now, it is widely recognized that Porter is a high-end offensive talent, with a sweet shooting stroke and the size and craft to allow him to create his own shot with ease. Defensively, though, it is a mess, which is part of the reason his deployment was limited during the regular season.

On the bright side, Porter was on the floor for most of Denver’s uptick in the second half, playing 18 minutes as the Nuggets made their push. It is even arguable that Porter provided a bit of additional spacing for Murray to work, with the defense having to respect him in a major way. However, it was evident throughout the second half and, especially, in crunch time that Porter’s defensive is a work in progress, to put it kindly. Malone will continue to juggle the need for Porter’s offense with the clear recognition that his lack of defensive awareness and execution can be brutal in big moments.

The Jazz are still in control of this series

Murray has been fantastic, Jokic is a proven star and Porter gives Denver an element of offensive upside they didn’t have before he arrived in the rotation. In the same breath, the Jazz hold a 3-2 lead and, with the second half of Game 5 not withstanding, Denver hasn’t shown it has consistent answers to stop Utah’s offense.

In the wake of his second half explosion, Murray will (rightly) garner the headlines, but Mitchell tossed up yet another 30-point effort and generally took advantage of Denver’s perimeter defenders.

From a standpoint of simple math, the Jazz needing to pick up only win, while Denver needs two, puts Utah in a fantastic spot. If anything, they’ve been the better team to this point in the series and, while defense has been a struggle on both sides, the Jazz have a longer track record of success on that end of the floor.

It is entirely possible that the Nuggets found something defensively after halftime and, if that holds, this series will continue to be must-see television over the next 48 or 96 minutes. It is also possible, however, that the Jazz will resume the form that netted them a 3-1 lead and a 15-point second half lead in Game 5.