They say legends walk taller and veterans get louder applause. But in Denver, only one name echoes loud enough to shake the walls — Nikola Jokic. With greatness comes duty: showing up, stepping in, and earning the fans’ heartbeat. And yes, the Joker has nailed that bit. But Jamal Murray? He’s drifting somewhere between applause and awkward silence. The Nuggets community seems to be missing something that even Murray is failing to offer. Undoubtedly, he’s in the story, sure. But is he the plot twist fans have been waiting for or the question mark they fear?

There appears to be a reason why fans have both high and low expectations for the 28-year-old Canadian guard. To begin with, one of the many reasons is Jokic himself. Oh, don’t worry, he does not influence altering Jamal’s reputation. However, it’s a form of “stan behavior” that Jason Timpf feels has done the devil’s work.

Nikola Jokic plays a major role in Jamal Murray’s situation among Nuggets fans

On the Hoops Tonight podcast, Timpf mentioned that there is undoubtedly some “natural frustration with Jamal for not reaching his individual ceiling as a player, the way that he should have.” The Nuggets handed Jamal Murray a four-year, $208 million deal after his rockiest playoff run in the 2023-24 season, and blamed it on injuries and mood swings. He eased into the 2024-25 season, found his rhythm late—as usual—and showed up in the playoffs with 21.8 points per game, ranking 16th, and a 55.5 True Shooting percentage, placing 55th out of 94. Respectable? Sure. Electric?…maybe not.

“But I think it extends beyond that. I think there’s a lot of like, “yo, get stan” behavior,” Timpf specified without mincing words. He added. “I’ve seen this with LeBron fans over the years. I’ve seen this with Steph fans over the years. They always get super hypercritical of teammates and then never criticize their guy. That’s the thing that gets kind of frustrating.”

The expert claims he’s a huge LeBron fan, yet he never holds back from criticizing him when necessary. There’s a pattern with fans who defend their favorite star by tearing down others, using over-the-top criticism to boost their guy instead of holding everyone to the same standard. “And that’s not to say that Jamal has some sort of perfect, criticism-proof resume. Of course, he doesn’t. He deserves some of the criticism that he gets. But I think that’s why we see so much negativity from Nuggets fans regarding Jamal Murray.” 

Simply put, the Denver Nuggets fans have become pretty Nikola Jokic-centric. And the only thought in their mind is: “Our goal is to get from the first day of the regular season to hoisting the trophy.” Most importantly, Timpf believes Murray gives his team a better shot in the postseason because, by then, Murray shows up as his true self. While he may have flaws, Timpf trusts him to deliver when it matters most, especially in the high-pressure playoff environment where consistency becomes everything.

“I can count on him to at least pull his weight as that secondary player alongside Nikola Jokic in a way that I could never count on James Harden doing that alongside Joel Embiid. That really is the separator,” Jason Timpf said with confidence. Now, if you want to compare Jokic and Murray’s stats, then here you go: Nikola Jokic outshines Jamal Murray across the board. With 21.8 PPG, 10.9 RPG, and 7.2 APG on 56% shooting, Jokic blends scoring, rebounding, and elite playmaking. Murray, though clutch, trails with 18.0 PPG and 4.7 APG. Jokic’s consistency, durability, and all-around dominance firmly establish him as Denver’s true cornerstone.

But hold that thought—because here’s where the Nuggets’ story takes a wild little turn. While fans obsess over Jokic and question Murray’s rhythm, the front office has been busy playing musical chairs. One trade here, one surprise signing there. Blame flies fast, and suddenly, new scapegoats start filling the Denver headlines.

The Denver Nuggets find new hopes for the 2025-26 NBA Season

The Denver Nuggets are rolling into their 50th NBA season with a plot twist no one saw coming. Michael Malone? Gone. Calvin Booth? Also out. Fired on the same day—April 8, 2025—like a double feature. Enter David Adelman as the new head coach, and Ben Tenzer stepping into the GM spotlight. Drama? Check. Expectations? Sky-high. Draft picks? Zero. Talk about an opening act.

Then came July. And Denver turned into a trade theater. The Nuggets traded Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn and received Cameron Johnson and a 2032 pick in return. Jonas Valančiūnas walked in, while Dario Šarić walked out. The bench started looking spicier with Bruce Brown back for a year at $2.3 million, joined by Tim Hardaway Jr. on the same tag. Two-way contracts? Sprinkled in like seasoning.

But no summer is complete without a few goodbyes. Trey Alexander packed for New Orleans. Vlatko Čančar headed to Italy with Olimpia Milano. The Nuggets released PJ Hall, and he landed in Memphis. DeAndre Jordan and Russell Westbrook? Still floating in free agency limbo. Meanwhile, Spencer Jones got a one-year extension, and Tamar Bates plus Curtis Jones joined on a two-way contract. New names, fresh energy. The Nuggets are cooking up something unpredictable.

Fifty seasons in, and Denver is rewriting its script with flair. Jokic holds the crown, Murray walks the tightrope, and the fans are as loud as ever. Well, it’s hard to tell if the Joker is truly ahead of Stephen Curry or not, but he’s surely edging out his teammates. And now, with a coaching shakeup, trades flying, and fresh faces in town, the Nuggets are stirring the pot. What comes next? Mile High madness, served sizzling.