Jamal Murray Scores 42 and Nikola Jokic Posts a Triple-Double as the Nuggets Rally From 23 Down to Beat the Pelicans in Overtime

Two nights after one of the worst games of his career, Jamal Murray delivered one of his best. Murray scored 42 points on 12-of-25 shooting, including eight three-pointers and a perfect 10-of-10 at the line, and Nikola Jokic added 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists as the Denver Nuggets rallied from 23 points down to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 141-135 in overtime on Saturday night at Ball Arena.

The win salvaged Denver's home opener and evened the Nuggets at 1-1. It also offered fantasy managers the first real look at how Denver's rotation works without Cam Johnson, who missed the game with a right ankle sprain, and the answer included a breakout bench night from Trevon Brazile.

The Murray bounce-back

The context makes Murray's night more meaningful. In Thursday's 96-84 season-opening loss to Oklahoma City, he scored six points on 2-of-11 shooting while Jokic went 5-of-19, and the Denver offense looked stuck. Saturday was the opposite: Murray hunted his shot from the start and carried the offense through the stretches when New Orleans was pulling away.

The late sequence is where he won it. New Orleans led 124-116 with 1:37 left in regulation. Jokic and Murray hit three-pointers, Aaron Gordon dunked to make it a two-point game, and Murray tied it at 126 by making two of three free throws with 16 seconds left. Denver controlled overtime from there.

For fantasy managers who panicked after the opener, this is the reminder that Murray's slumps and eruptions often come in clusters. He is a high-variance guard in daily formats and a far steadier asset over a full season, and the overtime boost inflated his line only slightly.

Jokic's milestone and the boos

Jokic's triple-double was reported as the 199th of his regular-season career, putting a 200th within reach on Monday against Golden State. He remains the safest first-round pick in fantasy basketball: even on a night when Murray carried the scoring, Jokic still filled every category.

The night also produced an odd off-court note. Denver's home crowd booed the team during the deficit, and after the game Jokic told reporters, in so many words, that fans who boo are not needed in the building. It is not a fantasy story, but it is a sign of the pressure on a team that lost in Oklahoma City and then trailed by 23 at home.

Brazile and the Johnson-less rotation

Johnson hurt his ankle in the second quarter of the opener and did not return. Coach David Adelman called him day-to-day, and he is questionable for Monday. Spencer Jones (hamstring) and Julian Strawther (knee) were also out Saturday.

That opened minutes for Trevon Brazile, who scored 17 points, seven of them in overtime, and hit the corner three that gave Denver a 133-129 lead. Brazile had grabbed 12 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench in the opener, so this is two straight games of meaningful production in two different categories.

The table below summarizes Denver's key lines from the overtime win.

DeMar DeRozan has been one of the first players off the bench, and he gives Denver a source of instant offense. His fantasy profile, though, is limited to points; his rebounds and defensive stats are modest for a forward. Christian Braun remains a steady, low-ceiling contributor.

Fantasy fallout

Brazile is the add. A forward who rebounds, blocks shots and can hit corner threes is a strong fit in category leagues, and his minutes should stay healthy as long as Johnson is out. When Johnson returns, Brazile's role likely shrinks, but two strong games have put him in the rotation conversation for the long haul.

Murray and Jokic are every-night starts. DeRozan is a points-league streamer, not a category-league hold. Johnson, when healthy, returns to his role as a reliable three-point and rebound contributor, so managers who roster him should simply wait out the ankle.

The New Orleans side

The Pelicans will see this as a missed opportunity. Leading by eight with under two minutes left is a game any team needs to close, and New Orleans committed 18 turnovers to Denver's 11, a gap that cost them possessions in the decisive minutes. The Pelicans' young core will have better nights, but in fantasy terms, this was a game where Denver's stars simply outlasted them.

Betting angle

The Nuggets were heavy favorites at home and needed overtime to win, which is a cautionary note for bettors laying big numbers with Denver while Johnson is out. The depth behind the stars is thin, and when the starters rest, the Nuggets have been vulnerable. The total, by contrast, went well over, and overtime only partly explains it: both teams scored efficiently through regulation.

Denver hosts Golden State on Monday. Verdexed's daily NBA picks page for that slate will be at /blog/nba-picks-2026-10-26, and the model's ongoing view is on /nba/predictions. Johnson's status will be a key input.

What's next

Watch Johnson's practice status before Monday, and watch Brazile's minutes if Johnson returns. If Brazile keeps a 20-minute role alongside a healthy Johnson, he becomes a season-long hold in deeper leagues. For now, add him, start Murray and Jokic, and treat the opener as the outlier it now looks like.