The basketball version of an unstoppable force going up against an immovable object was on display Friday at Ball Arena.

The Nuggets’ unstoppable offense won out over Memphis’s typically sturdy defense, 113-97

Led by offensive mastermind Nikola Jokic, Denver’s ability to put up points is elite. The Nuggets entered Friday’s game against the Grizzlies with an offensive rating, which calculates points scored per 100 possessions, of 117.7, just .3 behind Sacramento for the best mark in the league. While the Nuggets do a lot of damage in transition, the two-man game between Jokic and Jamal Murray can also be unstoppable in the half-court.

“Those guys have done it for so many years, it eventually clicks pretty quick, because you know he’s healthy,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said of Murray pregame. “He’s put in the work. He just needs to see that ball go through the net, so that’s definitely a scary proposition you have to be prepared for. … I definitely see him turning into the old Jamal Murray.”

Jokic posted another triple-double (18 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists), while Michael Porter Jr. led the Nuggets with 26 points. Murray added 22 points, nine assists and five rebounds.

Memphis brought the league’s second-best defensive rating to Denver. The Grizzlies started the game with a 109.3 rating, .2 points behind Milwaukee. The Grizzlies are especially solid in the half court.

“They really, really shrink the floor,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said pregame. “They make the paint really crowded. They have the ability … to be in and shrink and make the paint look crowded. When you make that pass to the open man, they’re there. They have a multiple-effort mentality. They have physicality.”

Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks do a lot of heaving lifting on the perimeter, while Jaren Jackson Jr. is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate on the inside. Brooks started the game by physically guarding Murray the length of the court, while Jackson started on Aaron Gordon but offered Xavier Tillman help on Jokic.

“The personnel on top of how they defend and their ability to cover the paint and get out to 3 is what allows them to be such a good defensive team in the half court,” Malone said.

No holding back

Friday’s game counted double with the season’s tie-breaker on the line, and the Nuggets’ coach made it clear the Nuggets were going for the win.

When asked whether the Nuggets might hold some things back in case there’s a playoff series later this season, Malone made his intentions clear.

“We’re not worried about what we’re showing, what we’re not showing. We’re just trying to win the game,” Malone said.

“Tonight is all about just trying to be the best version of ourselves, continue to be the best home team in the NBA. We know they’re a hell of a matchup. Whether we see them down the road or not, this is about just trying to continue to, with 19 games to go, play the right way and create some on-court chemistry.”

Masked Morant

Memphis star Ja Morant played his first game with a protective mask covering his nose, which was broken in Wednesday’s game in Houston. It didn’t seem to bother him, as he made 6 of his first 10 shots in the first half, adding six assists, as the Grizzlies led by eight at halftime. Morant led Memphis with 27 points and 10 assists.

NUGGETS 113, GRIZZLIES 97

What happened: The nuggets are looking a lot like the top seed in the Western Conference after beating Memphis on Friday at Ball Arena.

After falling behind early, the Nuggets closed the first quarter with a 9-4 spurt and took a one-point advantage to the second. A 9-1 Grizzlies run against Denver’s bench to start the second quarter put the visitors up seven before most of the Nuggets’ starters returned to the court. Memphis led by as many as 11 in the first half and started the third quarter ahead, 58-50. A strong stretch from Michael Porter Jr. helped the Nuggets tie the game in the middle of the third. The teams started the fourth quarter tied at 80, but Jamal Murray caught fire and helped the Nuggets build a 10-point edge five minutes into the fourth. The lead ballooned to 21 with five minutes left, and the Nuggets extended their lead atop the Western Conference and secured the tiebreaker over the Grizzlies.

What went right: A national television audience got to watch Nikola Jokic post another triple-double, and the Nuggets improved to 25-0 this season win the back-to-back Most Valuable Player has 10 or more points, rebounds and assists. Jokic finished with 18 points, needing just 10 shots to get there, with 18 rebounds and 10 assists.

Porter also continued to show progress as a driver and finisher. While he didn’t have much success from 3, Porter made his first five shots inside the arc, including a reverse layup that turned into a three-point play. Porter got a big 3 to go in the fourth quarter and finished with 26 points on 14 shots.

What went wrong: The Nuggets missed their first 11 attempts from 3-point range before Bruce Brown made Denver’s first with a few minutes left in the second quarter. Denver was 2-14 in the first half. Despite heating up a bit after halftime, the Nuggets, arguably the league’s best 3-point shooting team, finished 8 of 31. Murray was the most efficient, making 4 of his 8 attempts.

Highlight of the night: Jeff Green put his ageless jumping ability to good use late in the first quarter. It looked like John Konchar was on his way to an uncontested transition layup, but the 36-year-old Nuggets forward sprinted back and swatted the layup off the glass. Jamal Murray scooped up the long rebound, leading to a couple of Nikola Jokic free throws.

Up next: The Nuggets get a couple of days off before Monday’s game against Toronto at Ball Arena.