Jamal Murray’s Career-Best 55 Point Propel Streging Nuggets

Denver-Jamal Murray scored a career high 55 points, Nikola Jokic had her 25th triple double this season, and Denver Nuggets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 132-121 Wednesday night for their eighth equal victory.

Murray was 20-of-36 from the floor, including seven 3-Pointers, to become just the third Nuggets players ever with a 55-point game. It is the third most points in the franchise story that only draws David Thompson’s 73-point games on April 9, 1978 and Jokic’s 56-point efforts 7 December.

Murray and Jokic are just the fourth duo, each with a 55-point game in the same season in NBA history, according to ESPN Research.

“Jamal was fantastic from beginning to end,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. “Twenty-five points and a very effective 55. I’ve seen a lot of guys put up big games and not in the most effective way. To get 55 on 36 shots, 7-of-15 from 3 and 8- AF-9 Bad line was Jamal incredible.

Murray said he “got ready to play” on Wednesday night, but credited his teammates to have set him up to score.

“I shot the ball well, but they were in search of me to get the ball and really rooted for me to go and get it,” Murray said. “Obviously I’ve been here all my career, so to see all the same faces and be in Denver … You know I’ve been here for nine years, so for me it’s just many years of chemistry with these guys , and they know me, I know them, and tonight it was just those who looked after me.

Jokic had with 26 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists on an evening when the team celebrated Serbian heritage evening and handed out his bobble head. His 25 triple-double is the third most before the All-Star break, which only drew Oscar Robertson’s 28 in the 1961-62 season and Russell Westbrooks 27 in 2016-17, according to ESPN Research.

Malone made sure to highlight Jokic’s performance and said that people often do not talk about him because of his “expected greatness.”

“Let’s never take Nikola’s greatness for granted,” Malone said. “We are witnessing history every single night. I don’t take it for granted. He’s incredible and I feel really lucky and blessed to have coached him for 10 years now.”

Nuggets led with 23 points, only to see Portland cut it into single digits late in the second game between the teams in Denver in three nights. Nuggets won 146-117 Monday.

Anfee Simons led Portland with 26 points and Donovan Clingan had 17 points and 20 rebounds. Trail Blazers were without Deandre Ayton (strained calf), Scoot Henderson (sprained ankle) and Jerami Grant (sore knee).

Associated Press contributed to this report.