Nikola Jokić May Have Finally Found the Co-Star He Can Trust Completely to Share the Load and Close Games
Since arriving in Denver as a second-round pick with little fanfare, Nikola Jokić has steadily become one of the most unique and dominant forces in basketball. His rise from relative unknown to multi-time MVP and NBA champion has been a masterclass in skill development, basketball IQ, and transcendent talent. But as special as Jokić has been individually, his journey has often felt incomplete—like a great composer missing the perfect conductor beside him. Until now.
For years, the Nuggets searched for Jokić’s “right hand.” A true co-star. Not just a good player or talented scorer, but someone who could shoulder the pressure, understand the flow of the game the way he does, and step into the moment when things get tight. Someone who wasn’t afraid of the weight that comes with being second in command to a superstar as distinct and deliberate as Jokić.
That search may finally be over. Jamal Murray has become that player. Not just in bursts, not just in theoretical potential, but consistently and confidently, when it matters most.
In many ways, Murray’s emergence as a legitimate co-star has been a long time coming. He’s always had the flair. The fearlessness. The deep bag of shot-making. But the injuries, the inconsistency, and the occasional lapses in judgment left lingering doubts about whether he could truly complement Jokić in a way that elevated the entire team. Now, those doubts are fading. Fast.
Over the past two postseasons, and especially during the Nuggets’ championship run, Murray showed the basketball world—and perhaps most importantly, Jokić—that he could be more than just a hot-hand scorer. He became a stabilizer, a creator, and a closer. While Jokić remains the centerpiece of everything Denver does, Murray has carved out a vital identity of his own: the fearless engine when the shot clock winds down and the defense tightens.
The dynamic between Jokić and Murray isn’t just effective—it’s rare. It’s built on trust, timing, and an almost telepathic understanding of spacing and movement. They don’t just run the pick-and-roll; they redefine it. Jokić’s ability to read and react is unmatched, but it’s Murray’s ability to improvise, relocate, and finish at every level that makes their two-man game so deadly.
It’s not just about numbers—though those are impressive. It’s the way Murray carries himself in big moments. The way he wants the ball with the game on the line. The way Jokić looks for him, not as a safety valve, but as an equal. That kind of trust is hard to build. It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s forged through losses, missteps, and shared growth. And that’s what makes this partnership so compelling.
When you look at past duos in NBA history, many were built on contrast—Shaq and Kobe, Stockton and Malone, LeBron and Kyrie. Denver’s pairing isn’t as explosive on the surface, but it’s every bit as effective. Jokić is the constant. The stabilizing force. The player who makes every possession count. Murray is the spark, the bucket-getter, the emotional heartbeat. Together, they balance each other in ways that make the Nuggets nearly impossible to guard when both are locked in.
Jokić has never been the kind of star who craves the spotlight. He doesn’t chase triple-doubles; they find him. He doesn’t demand the ball late in games unless the moment calls for it. What he has always needed is a partner who can take those moments and run with them. Someone who can make a tough stepback three with the game on the line, or navigate a clutch possession without turning it into chaos. In Murray, he’s found that.
The chemistry is undeniable. Their dribble handoffs are lethal. Their timing on backdoor cuts is surgical. They understand how to manipulate defenses without saying a word. It’s an advanced basketball language, and very few players are fluent in it. But Jokić and Murray are. And the entire Nuggets offense is built around that fluency.
Even beyond the box score, Murray’s presence reshapes the way teams defend Denver. Opponents can’t double Jokić recklessly anymore. They can’t load up on him in the post without worrying about Murray breaking them down on the weak side. And when Jokić is on the bench, Murray has grown into someone capable of running the offense himself, maintaining rhythm, and preventing those dreaded non-Jokić minutes from becoming a disaster.
That has been one of the most significant developments for this version of the Nuggets. In the past, when Jokić sat, the offense often fell apart. The ball stopped moving. The tempo dropped. The identity evaporated. But now, with Murray’s increased command and confidence, Denver can survive—and sometimes even thrive—without Jokić on the floor. That flexibility is what separates contenders from champions. It’s also what gives Jokić the freedom to rest, reset, and return without needing to be superhuman every second he’s on the floor.
Another critical aspect of this partnership is off the court. Jokić and Murray have developed a genuine relationship—one built not on ego, but mutual respect. There’s no drama about who’s taking the last shot. No power struggle over touches. They simply want to win, and they’ve learned how to do it together. That harmony trickles down to the rest of the roster, allowing the Nuggets to operate without the kind of off-court noise that derails so many talented teams.
Murray’s journey has also mirrored the team’s growth. From a raw, streaky guard to a battle-tested floor general, he has matured in every way. He’s more poised in pick-and-rolls. More selective with his shots. More vocal in huddles. He’s become not just a sidekick, but a leader. And that evolution has empowered Jokić to lean on him in ways he couldn’t before.
If the Nuggets hope to repeat as champions or build a multi-year dynasty, it won’t be just because of Jokić’s brilliance—it will be because Murray has fully stepped into the co-star role and stayed there. And all signs point to that being the case.
The numbers support the eye test. When Jokić and Murray are both on the floor, the Nuggets’ offensive rating is elite. Their net rating is among the best in the league. The ball moves, the defense holds, and the rhythm flows. They are two halves of a whole, and their strengths are magnified by the other’s presence.
And perhaps most importantly, their games scale in the playoffs. That’s where the true test lies for any star duo. Can you create advantages when defenses have scouted you for two weeks? Can you trust each other when the game slows down and every possession is a war? Jokić and Murray can. They’ve proven it. Together, they’ve closed series, taken over fourth quarters, and risen to the challenge in hostile environments.
That’s what makes this era of Nuggets basketball so special. It’s not just that they have an MVP. It’s that their MVP finally has a co-star who meets the moment. Jokić doesn’t have to do it all anymore. He can facilitate, orchestrate, and dominate, knowing that when the pressure mounts, Murray will be right there—ready to take the shot, make the play, or shoulder the weight.
For years, the Nuggets had the foundation. They had the system. They had the talent. But what they lacked was balance. Jokić had to be everything, everywhere, all the time. Now, he doesn’t. Because Jamal Murray has become the “right hand” Jokić always needed—and perhaps more.
It’s not a question of potential anymore. It’s reality. The Nuggets have their duo. Their identity. Their formula. And as long as Jokić and Murray are healthy and locked in, Denver has a shot in every series, every season, every moment.
Because in a league built on star pairings, the Nuggets finally have one of their own—one that fits perfectly, trusts completely, and delivers consistently.
