Denver Nuggets came to their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers without their superstar Nikola Jokic but Donovan Mitchell knows they can still be dangerous because of one guy – Jamal Murray. Good thing for the Cavs, they got someone who can contain him.
The Cavs got their third straight win on Friday by beating the Nuggets, 113-108. Mitchell continued his lethal scoring by finishing with 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. The six-time All-Star topscored for the Cavs as usual but Mitchell wants to give the credit to Jaylon Tyson for the win because how he defended Murray.
The Nuggets guard finished the first half with 30 points but he only managed to get four more points in the next 24 minutes. He said he challenged Tyson to shadow Murray.
“I gotta give Jaylon Tyson a lot of credit. Jamal Murray had 30 at half, ended with 34. I challenged him at halftime to go ahead and take that matchup. Kenny challenged him. And I mean he did his job,” Mitchell said after the game.
Mitchell and Tyson had a lot of help defensively with Jarrett Allen playing his best game yet on that department.
For the Nuggets, Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 21 and 15 points, respectively, but they the team collectively faltered when they scored just 11 points against the Cavs’ 25.
Donovan Mitchell thinks they’re doing good now
The Cavs have won three straight and the good atmosphere is back within the team. Things were unpleasant before this streak.
They went 5-2 before the streak and it included losses to the likes Charlotte Hornets and two from the hands of the Chicago Bulls. They were booed because of this and Mitchell said they deserved it.
Their current status is a far cry from what they were last season when they started the season 15-0 and got their third loss only by February.
Spida emphasized that they still have ways to go but acknowledged that things have gotten better for them lately.
“We still got a ways to go. We’re playing well. And maybe I’m being overly, like a little too much. We’ve done it for 10, 11 days. … There’s a different vibe. It’s different. Now instead of 7 games, it’s 10. 10, it’s 12. We’re at a time, where not just talk about it but do it.” pic.twitter.com/huF3uW6D1O
— RealCavsFans.com (@realcavsfans) January 3, 2026
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