Jamal Murray Shouts Out Nuggets' Unsung Hero After Grizzlies Win

The Denver Nuggets are now riding a ten-game winning streak, and while Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray get the majority of the credit, they have plenty of difference-makers in their lineup who continue to contribute.

In their win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night, the Nuggets had eight players score ten or more points. Murray led the way with 28, but Julian Strawther came off the bench to contribute ten points in 15 minutes on 4-6 shooting from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc. After the game, Murray gave Strawther his flowers for staying ready for the moment.

"He really is somebody that’s always working, always in the gym," Murray said about Strawther. "We always tease him about it, just being ready, staying ready. I think that’s just keeping the topic light. We’re a winning team, we’re going to the playoffs to compete for a championship. So, I’m always teasing him about staying ready and all that stuff. But he’s a professional, and that just shows you how ready he is."

Strawther has now come up big for the Nuggets in consecutive games, after dropping 11 points on 4-5 shooting through 18 minutes in their win over the Portland Trail Blazers. While he had a very slow start to his third-year campaign, with just two 10+ point games through the first half of the season, he has found a rhythm since.

Strawther's impact in the playoffs

While Strawther's role fluctuates depending on who is in and out of the lineup, Murray expects him to make a difference in the playoffs. One of the best games of his career was in Game 6 of their second-round series against the OKC Thunder last year, when he dropped 15 second-half points on 3-4 shooting from beyond the arc to give Denver a much-needed boost against the eventual champions.

Julian Strawther stepped up BIG-TIME off the bench in the @nuggets Game 6 W 👏👏

🏀 15 PTS (all in the 2nd half)
🏀 3-4 3PM
🏀 20 MIN

Game 7: Sunday, 3:30pm/et, ABC pic.twitter.com/Soc224oq7A
— NBA (@NBA) May 16, 2025

"He comes in the game, plays good defense, knocks down some shots, plays with good pace. So, it is what it is, he understands what it is right now. I think in the playoffs he’s going to have a big game for us," Murray finished.

If Strawther can have another Game 6-esque performance this year, where he comes in off the bench, plays defense, and hits a few big three-pointers, he will become one of the most beloved players in recent franchise history. Hearing Murray talk about the work that Strawther puts in, every fan wants that to pay off for the young guard.

With Peyton Watson injured, the Nuggets especially need Strawther to step up on both sides of the ball. These last two games of the regular season will continue to give Strawther an opportunity to find his role in the lineup. While things might shift once Watson returns in the playoffs, having Watson ready and available will always be a potential game-changer.

Despite being just their ninth-leading scorer, Strawther is one of Denver's unsung heroes.

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