The Denver Nuggets beat the Memphis Grizzlies 123-118 behind a gem from Jamal Murray.

Memphis falls to 7-4 and 2-4 at home this season. Here are two winners and four losers from the game.

Loser: Rough possession with a chance to tie in the final seconds

Nikola Jokic missed a free throw with 13.9 seconds left that would have put Denver up by 4 and all but ice the game. Tuomas Iisalo opted not to use a timeout, and Cam Boozer hoisted a wild three-point attempt that looked like he was trying to draw a foul.

😶 pic.twitter.com/mkVcXn208V https://t.co/Ih1XTdYYMm

— eric (@EricTweetsNBA) November 12, 2026

It was a moment Memphis certainly would like to have back.

Loser: Denver slices through Grizzlies defense in first half

The Nuggets got off to a strong start with 35 points in the first quarter. Denver shot 58 percent from the field and 47 percent from three-point range in the first half. Jokic was able to generate open looks, like he always does, and the Grizzlies did not rotate fast enough to close out on shooters.

Nikola can see the play before you 👀 pic.twitter.com/ITKnWDmsax

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 12, 2026

Denver was simply far too comfortable on offense. Memphis did not generate many turnovers and also struggled to get back in transition at times. Games like this put so much pressure on a Grizzlies offense that does not have much shot-creation versatility. Ty Jerome has so much on his shoulders as the primary creator, and while players like Cedric Coward and Boozer have promise in that area, they are not yet ready to be relied on in the way Jerome is.

Winner: Memphis does not let it get out of hand

There was a point early in the second quarter where Denver extended the lead to 42-24, and things were looking bleak for Memphis. Against Oklahoma City last week, the Thunder took a big lead early and ran with it the rest of the night.

Unlike that game, the Grizzlies fought its way back and ended up making it a very competitive game. Despite an abysmal defensive performance in the first half, Memphis was able to bounce back and find much more success on that end in the second half.

After the Nuggets' hot start shooting the ball, the Grizzlies allowed the Nuggets to shoot 42.4 percent from the floor and just 28.6 percent from three.

Loser: Memphis' Defense on the Nuggets Stars

Murray had one of the best fourth quarters by an opponent that the Grizzlies will see all season. He finished the final quarter with 17 points, giving him 30 total on the night, shooting 12-for-19 from the field. Murray showed why he is one of the best shotmakers in the league, hitting tough jumpers despite good contests from Jaylen Wells.

JAMAL MURRAY: NIKOLA JOKIC:

30 POINTS 27 POINTS
4 REBOUNDS 11 REBOUNDS
8 ASSISTS 8 ASSISTS
12/19 FGM 10/16 FGM
32 MINUTES 37 MINUTES

UNREAL DUO. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/dBiTVrcmvF

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 12, 2026

Jokic put up 27 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists on 10-for-16 shooting. He was the engine for Denver's strong first half offense. Jokic and Murray being good is the formula for the Nuggets' current roster winning games, and they both showed up in a big way.

Loser: First quarter bench minutes

Tuomas Iisalo's substitution patterns have been a topic of discussion during his entire tenure as Grizzlies head coach. Tonight was another example of how taking starters out of the game in the middle of the first quarter can hurt the team.

Cam Spencer, Taylor Hendricks and Javon Small checked in for Jerome, Coward and Zach Edey about halfway through the first quarter. Memphis closed the quarter with those Small, Spencer, GG Jackson Jerami Grant and Isaiah Stewart, while Denver had Jokic, DeMar DeRozan, Spencer Jones, Trevon Brazile and Tyus Jones in its lineup, Murray was on the floor with Jokic for the first nine minutes of the first quarter.

While it was a small amount of time in the bigger picture, having Jokic and Murray on the floor against a majority-bench unit for Memphis helped Denver build a 35-24 first quarter lead. The Nuggets went on an extended 29-11 run from the 5:35 mark in the first quarter to the 10:07 mark in the second.

Winner: Ty Jerome has fifth-straight 20+ point game

Jerome's fifth-straight game with 20+ points is more proof that his start to the season might just be who he is. He came into the game averaging 26.7 points per game, but the small sample size and track record as a bench player has put the sustainability into question.

Ty Jerome keeping the Grizz in it pic.twitter.com/00fAdAFd5S

— eric (@EricTweetsNBA) November 12, 2026

The 29-year-old had an 11-point fourth quarter, further cementing him as one of the best clutch-time players in the league this season. While it is still early, Jerome is playing himself into a nice payday as a free agent in the offseason.