Championship teams have a way of stacking wins even when the night doesn’t begin on their terms. That’s exactly what Denver showed Thursday in a 126-115 win over Orlando – a game that started sloppy, swung violently, and ended with the Nuggets calmly tightening the screws when it mattered most.
Nikola Jokic had another historic evening, not just logging his 13th triple-double of the season, but officially becoming the NBA’s all-time assists leader among centers. Yet this win felt bigger than individual milestones. Jamal Murray flipped the game on its head with a blistering second quarter, Denver erased a 14-point hole in a matter of minutes, and the Nuggets once again looked like a team that knows exactly how to survive chaos.
Orlando had every reason to hang around. Paolo Banchero was brilliant, recording a triple-double of his own, and Wendell Carter Jr. punished Denver inside. Even without key rotation pieces, the Magic kept applying pressure. Still, when the game reached winning time, Denver’s composure, shot-making, and experience showed through.
This wasn’t a perfect performance but a championship-level one, and we have three proofs from this game that continue to show how good the Nuggets truly are.
Nikola Jokic Controls The Game Without Forcing It
Jokic’s stat line, 23 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds, barely scratches the surface of how completely he dictated the night. Orlando threw multiple looks at him, ranging from single coverage to late help, but Jokic never sped up. He shot 10-of-17 from the field, missed just one free throw, and finished with a +20 plus-minus in 38 minutes.
The history came quietly. With 6:26 left in the first half, Jokic slipped a pass to Jalen Pickett for a corner three, officially passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time assists leader among centers. There was no pause in play, no celebration – just Jokic jogging back on defense. That calm demeanor is contagious, and it steadies Denver when games get tight.
What stands out most is how Jokic elevated everyone else. Denver finished with 31 assists on 49 made field goals, shot 56% overall, and knocked down 44% from three. Jokic didn’t dominate the ball; he organized it. His 13 assists accounted for at least 31 points, and several came during key runs that stopped Orlando momentum before it could fully build.
Against a Magic team that piled up 30 assists and shot a respectable 47%, Jokic’s ability to win the efficiency battle was decisive. Denver didn’t out-rebound Orlando. They didn’t win the turnover margin. They simply executed better, and that starts with the league’s most reliable offensive engine.
Jamal Murray’s Shot-Making Changes The Entire Game
Every championship team needs a closer who can bend the scoreboard in minutes. Murray did exactly that in the second quarter, turning what looked like a potential problem into a runaway surge. After Denver fell behind by 14, Murray caught fire, scoring 20 of his 32 points in the period and completely flipping the tone of the night.
He drilled five three-pointers in the quarter alone and finished 7-of-12 from deep overall. At one point, Denver erupted on a 35-7 run over the final 6:26 of the half, transforming a 47-33 deficit into a 68-54 halftime lead. Orlando simply couldn’t survive the avalanche of shot-making.
What’s easy to miss is how efficient Murray was within the chaos. He ended the night shooting 50% from the field, committed just one turnover, and posted a +7 plus-minus despite facing constant defensive attention. Denver scored 28 fast-break points, and many of those chances came from Murray pushing the pace after makes or misses.
Murray is now averaging a career-best 25.2 points this season and 28.1 in December, and this game felt like another reminder of what separates him in playoff-style moments. When defenses tighten and possessions matter, he doesn’t hesitate. He hunts shots, creates separation, and forces opponents to pick their poison. Orlando picked wrong – repeatedly.
Denver Wins the Margins That Decide Big Games
This game was far closer than the final score suggests, which is exactly why it serves as such a strong championship indicator. Orlando cut the lead to nine midway through the fourth and trimmed it to six with just over a minute remaining. In previous seasons, that’s where games slipped away. This Denver group didn’t blink.
Cameron Johnson was a massive factor in sealing the win. He finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds, shot 6-of-9 from the floor, and knocked down three threes, including a dagger corner triple in the final 90 seconds after Orlando threatened again. Johnson posted a game-high +27, and his rebounding helped Denver close defensive possessions late.
Denver’s execution in winning time was surgical. They shot 80% from the free-throw line, hit timely threes, and limited Orlando to one final push before slamming the door. Despite committing 15 turnovers, the Nuggets compensated by shooting 56% overall and winning the three-point battle 16-11.
The Nuggets led for 56% of the game, built a 21-point largest advantage, and responded immediately every time the Magic showed life. That’s veteran basketball. It’s understanding clock, spacing, and moment. And it’s exactly how playoff games are won when the margins shrink.
