One thing that the Denver Nuggets struggled with last season, compared to previous seasons, was their ability to close out close games. The clutch wasn't as clutch. At one point, the Nuggets were just 14-15 in clutch games. They did, however, figure it out in the end and finished with a 23-19 clutch record. So far, that end-of-season momentum has carried on, and the Nuggets are showing that they've still got the clutch gene in close games.
The Nuggets have now played four clutch games after their 123-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. A clutch game is a game within five points or less with under five minutes to go in the fourth quarter or overtime. Their record is now 3-1 in the clutch, while they sit 6-4 overall, currently 10th in a stacked Western Conference.
It's critical for the Nuggets to win close games
Given that the West is so loaded, with even the Dallas Mavericks and Grizzlies both at 7-4, it's imperative for the Nuggets not to slip up when the games are tight. They need to finish sixth or better in the West, which was head coach David Adelman's bar to clear coming into the season, in order to avoid playing in the play-in games.
They should be all right in close games. Jamal Murray, who is off to the best start of his career on both sides of the ball, finished second in the Clutch Player of the Year voting last year. Nikola Jokic finished sixth. Jokic finished second and fourth in the voting the two prior years.
The Nuggets were 21-16 in clutch games in 2024- 25, and they were a dominant 26-14 in 2023-24. It's early, but 3-1 is a great start, considering how meaningful every game in the West will be.
Jamal Murray has been huge in the fourth quarter
One reason the Nuggets have done so well in the clutch is because of Murray. He had 17 points in the fourth quarter against the Grizzlies, and he's up to a team-leading 9.0 points per fourth-quarter average on a stunningly clutch 68.4% from three in the final frame.
However, over the final five minutes in clutch games, Murray is somehow only averaging one point. Trevon Brazile leads the way for the Nuggets in his two appearances, with 3.5 clutch points per clutch game. Of course, it's Brazile. What doesn't he do?
The way the Nuggets are playing, it feels like there could be a lot of clutch games this season. They're set up to win them, and they'll need them to finish as high as they can in the West this year.
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