TORONTO – Canadian Jamal Murray was again house for the primary evening of the subsequent 4 weeks with out his Denver Nuggets teammate, three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, on Wednesday.
Murray and the Nuggets survived a Toronto Raptors second-half rally to hold on for a 106-103 win earlier than 19,181 at Scotiabank Area.
Jokic suffered a hyperextended left knee within the dying seconds of the Nuggets’ loss on the highway towards the Miami Warmth on Monday. He’s anticipated to overlook a minimal of 4 weeks.
“We did sufficient, however I might have been higher,” the 28-year-old from Kitchener, Ont., stated.
Murray checked in with 21 factors, taking pictures a poor 6-of-18 from the sphere, together with 2-of-5 three-point makes an attempt.
In his ninth season, Murray has scored a career-high 25.2 factors per recreation. His subsequent greatest was final 12 months at 21.4. However all the basketball neighborhood is aware of that Murray would be the defensive focus of the opposition with Jokic on the sidelines.
“Jamal has been so good this 12 months, man,” Nuggets head coach Dave Adelman stated. “It’s simply been a pleasure to look at. He’s enjoying basketball in such a free means. I simply suppose he’s in a great place altogether. So, yeah, a variety of duty is coming his means, however he can deal with it.
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“Shedding Nikola is shedding one of many best gamers to ever stay, backside line. He might retire right now, and we’d say that. However Jamal’s duty proper now’s to maintain making the proper play as a result of he’s going to have consideration past consideration everywhere in the flooring.
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“He’s going to get doubled and blitzed in decide and rolls. So, we’ve got to do issues for Jamal. We have now to display screen to get him open. We have now to do unselfish issues for him, and on the flip facet of that, he has to proceed to make the proper play, which he has.”
Murray remarked he relishes the problem.
“I must play my very own recreation, keep aggressive, keep composed and play shortly,” Murray stated.
“However I’m additionally making an attempt to remain unselfish.”
After scoring 13 factors within the first half, Murray struggled within the closing two quarters till the top. However he scored 4 of Denver’s closing 9 factors to seal the deal in entrance of family and friends.
“I don’t take it without any consideration,” stated Murray, whose hometown is an hour’s drive west of Toronto. “It’s a blessing.
“It’s all the time enjoyable. Clearly, I bought a variety of mates right here, a variety of household.”
INGRAM’S SHOT
Brandon Ingram made his game-tying off-balance three-point jumper, however his try didn’t beat the buzzer. A video evaluate decided that the ball was nonetheless on Ingram’s fingertips when time expired.
The Raptors guard was requested if he felt he had tied the sport.
“I did,” stated Ingram, who scored a game-high 30 factors. “Perhaps I want to chop my fingernails.”
The Raptors overcame a 21-point deficit at house to defeat the Orlando Magic on Monday. They fell behind by 13 factors to the Nuggets within the second quarter, solely to rally within the second half.
JV RETURNS
Former Raptors centre Jonas Valanciunas obtained a heat ovation earlier than the sport when his face was proven on the scoreboard. The 33-year-old Lithuanian spent the primary six-plus seasons of his profession with the Raptors.
With Jokic on the sidelines, six-foot-11 Valanciunas hit season highs in factors (17) and minutes (23) with 9 rebounds earlier than leaving late within the third quarter with a proper calf pressure.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Jan. 1, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
