Jamal Murray returns, Jimmy Butler leaves injured, Nuggets defeat Heat

Jamal Murray’s return from the shelf was a reassuring reminder for the Nuggets: Even if he struggles, their starting lineup is better off with him.

Murray scored 28 points after missing the last three games with a concussion, and Denver’s top unit played some of its crispest offensive basketball of the season in a 135-122 win over the Heat on Friday, even with Aaron Gordon sidelined.

“It’s a win and it’s hard to even get a win in this league, so I’m definitely happy we won. … But right now we’re winning with our offense,” coach Michael Malone said. “And at some point it will stop. Our defense needs to improve. I gave up 122 points, made 20 3s… I just don’t like where our defense is at right now. Too many glitches. Don’t communicate. Not disciplined.”

Nikola Jokic needed just 27 minutes to record his fifth triple-double in nine games, finishing the night with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists on 11 of 13 shooting. Christian Braun continued his blistering adjustment to the starting lineup by hitting his first six shots of the night for 19 points before the perfect game ended. Michael Porter Jr. matched him with 21 points. And Murray avoided a few sloppy turnovers to hit four 3-pointers, grab four rebounds and add six assists in his impressive return.

“I just told him in the locker room that an aggressive Jamal Murray is an effective Jamal Murray,” Malone said.

“I think the guys just dialed in,” Murray said. “I think everyone is starting to find a little rhythm. Make yourself more comfortable. Less nerves.”

The Nuggets (6-3) have won six of their last seven games after losing the first two of the season.

It didn’t matter that Miami shot 20 of 43 from 3-point range or that a 26-point lead was cut to 14 by the end of the third quarter even though Jokic was on the floor. Denver’s starting lineup made the offense look easy for long stretches: 40 points in the first quarter and a 15-4 run in the first three minutes of the second half. The scoring was even. Even Peyton Watson, filling in for the injured Gordon, scored 16 points.

“Sometimes we don’t have communication,” Malone said. “Sometimes we need to communicate, but something we always talk about – my wife tells me this all the time – part of communicating is listening.”

After Miami put pressure on the Nuggets in the fourth quarter, defending a somewhat precarious lead without Jokic, the 10-year coach became as experimental as he has been all season. Jokic’s rest minutes had been a disaster in the first half – a quick 10-0 heat run in three minutes and change. So Malone tried a new twist on the second unit.

Instead of Zeke Nnaji at center, no one played center.

The cast included Murray, Porter, Watson, Julian Strawther and Russell Westbrook. If anyone qualified for the five, it was technically Watson, according to Malone, although Westbrook checked in and guarded Bam Adebayo at defensive end.