Denver Nuggets: Who is their go-to guy?

The Denver Nuggets are still in a good spot in the Western Conference, however, there is still a question that needs to be asked.

We’ve seen the Denver Nuggets do a pretty good job of closing out games early in the season, and it’s a major reason why they’re out to a 30-14 record.

With that being said, I still watch the games and see a close to a game and wonder, who is the go-to guy for the team?

It’s easy to say their MVP candidate and probable All-Star player in Nikola Jokic, but it’s also easy to argue Jamal Murray and his inconsistent stroke. What about Gary Harris when he gets back from injury?

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This is a good problem to have, as multiple players could take over a game at any time, but it’s not a bad idea to know who you’re going to when you need a bucket. The Nuggets play the game right currently, though, as they continually just find the hot hand and ride the momentum (Murray’s 48 point night, Jokic’s perfect triple-double).

Instead of trying to force it to one of the young guys and saying “here, put the ball in the bucket now,” they share the load, and it can be lethal at times.

However, if I was in the position that Coach Malone is now, the guy that I would have taking the last shot would probably be Jamal Murray.

Now, I definitely understand taking the ball through Jokic and letting him try to score, but Murray is such a fiery player, especially when the game is at its highest peak. He’s a crafty finisher and driver, and if they sag off on coverage, he’ll splash a three from deep.

Now, again, he’s been pretty inconsistent this year. Some nights he’ll erupt in a quarter for 20+ and the next quarter he won’t score.

With that being said, you have to take the ups and downs and just enjoy the clutch performer that Jamal Murray is. For example, earlier this season we all know about the performance that he put together on the Boston Celtics. What is important about that game though is that a majority of his points came in streaks.

He scored 14 of their first 16 points. He didn’t score again until over halfway through the second.

We still say that performance is clutch though, don’t we? I love the finishing ability or mid-range jumper that Murray has if you need a two, or the odds of him making a three in coverage over Nikola Jokic, especially the second part of that.

Again, that can change if the Joker is hot, but Murray needs to be the guy to go to late in the game. Run the ball through Jokic, but if he can find Jamal, he needs to.

Jamal Murray has the potential to lead the Denver Nuggets to the promised land, it’s all about stepping up in the clutch.