Shaquille O'Neal Reveals Nuggets' Secret Weapon, 'They Will Be Champions'

Murray is an NBA champion and has long been Jokic's best teammate, although he is in a bit of a slump. This season, he is only averaging 19 points on 37.2 percent shooting from deep, which is his worst season since 2019-20. A fringe All-Star, Murray's inconsistencies are a big reason why Denver has been unable to crack the top three in the Western Conference standings.

However, if his performance against Dallas is a sign of things to come, the Nuggets shouldn't worry about their playoff chances. Midway through the Nuggets' 118-99 slaughtering of the Mavs, Shaquille O'Neal gave Murray his flowers.

“If he plays like this, along with Russell Westbrook and Joker, they will be champions," said O'Neil during halftime, when Murray had already recorded 32 points. "I love it when this guy is aggressive, taking deep shots."

With a 24-15 record, plenty of momentum, and Murray hitting his stride, the Nuggets should cruise through their upcoming games against the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic. Jimmy Butler will return from his seven-game suspension against Denver, but he might not agree to play.

If the Nuggets beat the Rockets tonight and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Memphis Grizzlies, the Nuggets will take third place in the West. If Denver beats Houston, they will get within 1.5 games of the Rockets for second place, regardless of what happens in San Antonio.