Following Tuesday night's win, Jokić was asked to recall a key quote of his about Murray from that first Nuggets title run that feels evergreen right now. After an electric Murray led those Nuggets to a decisive Game 1 win over the Phoenix Suns in 2023's second round, Jokić referred to his running mate as the Nuggets' "best player."

Murray's 43-point explosion on Tuesday gave Denver a 3-2 series lead on the Clippers and evoked memories of the 2023 championship run.

Jamal Murray is at his best when he’s at his worst, as usual. In Game 5, he led the Nuggets on a night when even Nikola Jokic was relatively quiet.