TORONTO, Ont. (January 28, 2021) - The Denver Nuggets have had a bit of a strange start to the season. Then again, it’s a strange year in the NBA and beyond due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the Nuggets organization has had its share of disruptions due to the virus. From players being sidelined because of the virus, as well as due to league health and safety protocols, the day-to-day is different than it’s ever been during an NBA season.

“Locking in” and remaining focused on basketball is just a different ask of players and coaches this year. Despite these challenges, the Denver Nuggets have bounced back from a 1-4 start. They’re on a 5-game winning streak after a busy five stretch of five games in eight days, and have won the first four games of their current five-game road trip with one game remaining.

As is routine for Denver, Jamal Murray played his part in each of these victories. In the past week Murray averaged 18.5 points while shooting 46 percent from the floor for the Nuggets. Not all of these victories have been easy. A pair of back-to-back games against the Phoenix Suns went into overtime and double-overtime before Denver prevailed.

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In the 130-126 overtime win, Murray contributed 18 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, a block and three steals. The next day, in Denver’s 120-112 double-overtime victory, he finished with 26 points, six rebounds, five assists and a blocked shot. For the season, Murray is averaging 19.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 34.9 minutes per game.

Thanks to his contributions, and the team’s current five-game winning streak, the Nuggets are 11-7 for the season and in fourth place in a packed Western Conference.  

‍Free Throws

- The Golden State Warriors snapped a two-game losing streak with a pair of back-to-back wins against the Minnesota Timberwolves this week. Andrew Wiggins, who spent five and a half seasons with the Timberwolves prior to being traded to the Warriors last February, had a hand in both victories. Wiggins had 23 points to go with six rebounds, three steals and three blocks in Monday’s 130-108 decision then followed that up with 19 points in a 123-111 Warriors win on Wednesday. The Warriors had a 36-point explosion from Steph Curry on Monday and then a career-high from rookie James Wiseman on Wednesday, in addition to the strong play from Wiggins. In 17 games with the Warriors this season, Wiggins is averaging 17.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 blocks per contest.

- We also had another big showing in the scoring column for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the Oklahoma City Thunder went 2-2 to split their games this week. After losing a pair of games to the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City picked up wins against the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 30 points and 23 points, respectively, in Oklahoma City’s two losses to the Clippers, before he flirted with triple-doubles in the team’s two victories. After finishing with nine rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal against the Blazers, Gilgeous-Alexander stuffed the stat sheet some more, putting up a 21-point, seven-rebound, eight-assist, two-block, two-steal line against the Suns as the Thunder erased a four-point deficit thanks to a layup from Gilgeous-Alexander and then a three-pointer from Dort (assisted by Gilgeous-Alexander). The Thunder wouldn’t trail Phoenix again as Gilgeous-Alexander closed out the game a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in the final 17.6 seconds of the game.

‍Game of the Week

Brooklyn Nets @ Oklahoma City

Thunder, Friday, January 29, 8 p.m. ET

Canadian hoops fans should pencil in Friday’s game where the Brooklyn Nets take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. In addition to getting to see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort for the Thunder, it will give fans a chance to see James Harden as a Net now that he’s had a chance to settle in with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the rest of Brooklyn’s roster. With Durant, Irving and Harden's star power, scoring ability and creativity, Brooklyn’s recent games have all been appointment viewing. Getting to watch Steve Nash manage the talented trio as a first-year head coach is another added bonus. In the team’s most recent victory, a 132-128 win over the Atlanta Hawks, the former Rocket finished with 31 points and 15 assists as Durant scored 32 points and Irving added 26. While Gilgeous-Alexander had been on the rise and was poised for stardom before he was traded to the Thunder, it was Dort's breakout postseason performance defending Harden this past postseason that turned him into a household name for NBA fans, too.