The Denver Nuggets defeated the Atlanta Hawks 142-110 on Saturday night to temporarily reclaim the top seed in the Western Conference.

The Nuggets shot over 60% from the field and 56% from three-point range, making 23-of-41 three-pointers, their most of the season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the way with 24 points, shooting 6-of-9 from three-point range. Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points on 4-of-8 from three. Reggie Jackson, playing through an illness, scored 18 points off the bench had hit three three-pointers of his own.

“23 made threes, I believe a season-high and 38 assists,” Michael Malone shared postgame. “Those two numbers go hand in hand. That was fun to watch.

“We were just playing our game,” shared Jamel Murray. “Getting out and running as well because that’s more opportunities to get those assists and points. We just played well.”

 Murray made his return to the floor tonight, playing just under 21 minutes and getting 16 points and 6 assists. Murray was on a minutes restriction (though he didn’t approach that number tonight, according to Malone) but looked good out there in his time. Murray got to the rim, hit shots off the dribble, and set up teammates with some solid passing, particularly in the first half.

“The decision making process was that I was good to go,” Murray stated of tonight being the game he returned. “I’m on a minutes restriction, but I feel pretty good.”

There were some sloppy moments, and the Nuggets as a team accumulated 17 turnovers, but the fact that Denver had so many turnovers and still scored 142 should tell everyone all they need to know. The Nuggets dominated this game throughout its entirety, and it was good to welcome back Murray into an environment with relatively low stakes. 

“He is a tremendous player,” Hawks wing Bogdan Bogdanovic said of Murray. “Him and [Nikola] Jokic are the best duo in the league, and it is tough to guard them. They play the game amazingly.”

Nikola Jokic was below his normal standard early on in this game but worked his way into another casual triple-double with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists in just under 31 minutes. Jokic really locked in during the third quarter with 10 points and six assists in those 12 minutes alone. The Nuggets scored 42 points in the quarter with Jokic, literally and metaphorically, at the center of it all. His defense was up-and-down as well, but he grabbed two steals in the game, and the Nuggets were +19 in his minutes.

The biggest story, outside of Murray’s return, from this game was the bench.

“Our bench, can’t say enough good things about our bench tonight, 58 bench points,” Malone credited. “From beginning to end, even the guys that closed, those guys were playing at a high level.”

The Nuggets used an all-bench lineup tonight featuring Jackson, Julian Strawther, Justin Holiday, Peyton Watson, and Zeke Nnaji. That group played really well together, especially in the second quarter to help the Nuggets extend their lead. The Hawks were never really in the game after that.

Michael Malone sounded pessimistic pregame about Jackson playing tonight, but the Nuggets backup point guard, wearing a mask on the sideline, gutted out an illness and led Denver’s second unit nicely with 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists in 24 minutes.

“I have to give him a lot of credit man, because I didn’t think he was going to play,” Malone said of Jackson’s effort postgame. “I made sure I didn’t give him any daps all night. I gave him my elbow the whole night…a testament to his toughness, and that allowed us…to get Reggie back with that second unit, more of a natural order of things for us.”

Jackson played well, and he got some great help from Justin Holiday and Peyton Watson. Holiday shot 3-of-3 from the field, including a circus shot falling out of bounds, and had six assists. His best assist was a behind-the-back dime to Jokic in the third quarter, something that nobody really expected and got the crowd on their feet.

Watson, for his part, had 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, and an impressive five blocks in his 27 bench minutes. He was protecting the rim out there really nicely as both an on-ball defender against guards like Dejounte Murray and a help side defender on drives to the rim.

“I think just playing with a lot of energy, playing with multiple efforts,” Watson shared after the game. “Obviously in the NBA it’s very tough to even block one shot so I’m glad I was able to be in position to get my hands on multiple tonight.”

The Nuggets now hold sole position of first place in the Western Conference for a brief period of time, and they control their own destiny. If they win out, they get the top seed. That involves being locked in for the next week though, and even though the Nuggets have two days off, the final stretch of the season will still be difficult.

Even though the Nuggets have a back-to-back coming up, I’m sure they’re excited about having a day off tomorrow.

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