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The Denver Nuggets were a team on a mission. After the NBA 2017-18 season ended with heartbreak and disappointment in the final regular season game, Denver Nuggets were out to prove that they could hold their own and they did just that, if not more.
They finished the 2018-19 NBA regular season with the 2nd best record in the Western Conference, which was a 54-28 record. They were at the top of the Western Conference as well for a really long time but just could not keep it together towards the end.
The Denver Nuggets also made a solid post-season run, their first since 2012-13. They faced the San Antonio Spurs in the 1st round, winning it 4-3 in a 7-game series. They faced the Portland Trail Blazers in the semifinals, who just beat them to the conference finals, winning the series 4-3.
Even though they were knocked out in the playoff semifinals, the Denver Nuggets have to be proud of the way they played throughout the season and gave their fans a lot to cheer about. So without further ado, here are the top 3 individual performances from the 2018-19 NBA season.
#3 Malik Beasley against the Houston Rockets at Pepsi Center
Denver Nuggets took on the Houston Rockets at home on February 2nd 2019 and needed an inspired performance by Malik Beasley to take the Nuggets over the line. The Rockets had come out all guns blazing after their loss against the New Orleans Pelicans in the last game, outscoring the Nuggets 43-35.
But then Malik Beasley had his best game in the NBA yet, dropping a career-high 35 points as the Nuggets came back ferociously in the 2nd quarter, 48-28 and never gave up after that, winning 136-122.
Beasley was unstoppable; he was going in the paint, shooting from beyond the arc, and nothing was working for the Rockets. Beasley scored 35 points, shooting 71% from the field and 55.6% from beyond the 3 point line. He put an offensive masterpiece on display that night which you can watch below.
He also grabbed himself 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal and just 2 turnovers, showing just how good he was for the Nuggets. Even though he did not make a huge impact during the playoffs, he grabbed the spotlight with this game and made himself a fan favorite.
Final stat line: 35 points, 12-17 FG, 5-9 3FG, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 TOs against the Houston Rockets
#2 Jamal Murray against the Boston Celtics at Pepsi Center
Jamal Murray has been often criticized for being a very inconsistent player, you never know what to expect of him on a given night. But on November 5th 2018, he underlined his and the Denver Nuggets' intentions this season with an amazing display against the Boston Celtics at the Pepsi Center.
The fans must have been thrilled with what they witnessed against a solid, almost conference final contender team and got excited for what was to come. Murray probably had his best game in the Nuggets jersey as he went on to score a career-high 48 points in a solid 115-107 win over the Boston Celtics.
Murray was just unstoppable, shooting 63.3% from the field and making 46% of his 3 point attempts. He was crucial for the Nuggets in the 4th quarter, scoring 19 points and leading the Nuggets past the finish line.
Murray also had 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 turnovers in one of his best performances ever. Even though the Nuggets failed to reach the conference finals and Murray was inconsistent throughout the year, the fans must have been thoroughly entertained with the show that Murray put on.
Final stat line: 48 points, 19-30 FG, 5-11 3FG, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 TOs against the Boston Celtics
#1 Nikola Jokic against the Portland Trail Blazers at Pepsi Center
Nikola Jokic was the best player for the Denver Nuggets, both during the regular season and in the playoffs. He led the team from the front and played so well this season that he was being touted as a dark horse for MVP candidate.
He did not stop during the playoffs as well, leading the Nuggets to a 7-game thriller win over the San Antonio Spurs and had one of his best games this season in Game 1 of the conference semifinals against the Portland Trail Blazers.
They tried everything in their arsenal to stop Jokic from wreaking havoc, but they could not do much as he methodically took them apart and was phenomenal. Jokic is a point center for the Nuggets and showed just how effective he is against the Blazers.
Jokic led the team with 37 points, shooting 61% from the field and was 60% from beyond the 3 point line as well. He hit all 12 of his attempted free throws and grabbed himself 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks and just 2 turnovers in a huge 41-minute performance.
Jokic tried to do it all himself this season and got the Nuggets awfully close to their first conference final appearance since 2008-09. He put on a great show on display for the fans and they must have thoroughly enjoyed his performance in such a crucial game.
Final stat line: 37 points, 11-18 FG, 3-5 3FG, 12-12 FT, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks and 2 TOs against the Portland Trail Blazers.
