3 Takeaways From the Nuggets' Nail-Biting Win vs. Grizzlies

The Denver Nuggets nearly blew an 18-point lead to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Coming off a ten-point loss to the Houston Rockets, the Denver Nuggets got back in the win column on Wednesday night with a road win over the Memphis Grizzlies to improve to 6-4 on the season.

The Nuggets led by as much as 18 points in Memphis, but had to fend off the Grizzlies' comeback attempt, as Denver's lead was cut to just two points with less than a minute left. The Nuggets ultimately sealed a 123-118 win over the Grizzlies, who have now lost four of their last five games after starting the season on a six-game winning streak.

With the Nuggets picking up a much-needed road win to avoid more frustration around the franchise, let's look at three key takeaways as they leave Memphis:

The Nuggets have a new MVP

Apr 6, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) and center Nikola Jokic (15) in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For years, the Nuggets have leaned mostly on Nikola Jokic. This season, though, the three-time NBA MVP might not even be the MVP of his own team. Jamal Murray has been incredible this season, and, once again, he led the Nuggets to a win on Wednesday night.

In the win, Murray finished with 30 points, four rebounds, and eight assists on 12-19 shooting from the field and 4-7 from beyond the arc, but most importantly, he stepped up when it mattered most. With the Grizzlies gaining momentum, Murray rose to the occasion by dropping 17 points on 7-8 shooting in the fourth quarter to help seal the win.

Murray is putting together another All-Star campaign this season, and while the Nuggets are at their best when both he and Jokic are clicking, the star point guard has arguably been their most valuable player. Not to mention, he is quietly becoming one of the team's best defenders too.

Cameron Johnson is back

Nov 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson (23) yells to his bench for his team to review a play during the first half against the Toronto Raptors at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cameron Johnson has had a quiet season so far for the Nuggets, missing a few games due to injury, and has yet to truly make his mark even when healthy. On Wednesday night, though, his presence was felt.

In the win, Johnson finished with 23 points, four rebounds, and three assists on 9-15 shooting from the field and 4-7 from deep. Johnson also came up clutch for the Nuggets with a couple of timely plays down the stretch, reminding us a lot of the standout forward we saw more of last season.

The Nuggets desperately need Johnson to be consistent for them to be a serious contender this season, and we can hope Wednesday's performance was exactly what he needed to help him find his rhythm.

Taking care of the ball

Denver committed 6 turnovers, leading to just 2 Grizzlies points.

That is the 5th #Nuggets game since 1996 with that few points by an opponent but the fewest on the road:
12/3/05 vs Heat (2)
11/13/13 vs Lakers (2)
2/23/01 vs Blazers (0)
11/29/23 vs Rockets (2)
11/11/26 at…

— Statzman (@RealStatzman) November 12, 2026

Heading into Wednesday's game, the Nuggets were committing the fifth-fewest turnovers in the NBA (14.1 per game), and in the win in Memphis, they took care of the ball as well as ever.

As a team, the Nuggets finished with just six total turnovers, with the Grizzlies scoring just two points off their mistakes. This is an obvious recipe for success, and it paid off big time for the Nuggets. To make things better, it was a complete team effort, as they did not have a single player commit multiple turnovers.

It is very rare to see an NBA team have this clean a game, but even with taking care of the ball, they barely held on against the Grizzlies. We would love to see the Nuggets find more consistency, but this was still a good win against a sneakily dangerous Grizzlies team.

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