Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets:

NBA Insider

One stretch late in Friday’s loss to the Mavericks showcased the kind of season it’s been for Jamal Murray.

With the Nuggets down two in the final four seconds, Murray tried to intentionally miss his second free throw in hopes he, Nikola Jokic or DeAndre Jordan could grab an offensive rebound and tie the game. The only problem was Murray’s line-drive free throw went off the backboard and in.

“The whole game I’m trying to make it,” Murray said. “I’m trying to miss one time … it’s just the way it goes sometimes, you know?”

Heading into Monday’s game against the Knicks, Murray is on pace to shoot under 40% from the field and below 80% at the line for the first time of his career. His 34.6% from 3-point line would match his lowest mark since his rookie season. Murray maintained he’s feeling fine physically after a calf strain impacted him last postseason and at the Olympics.

“I’m doing good. Staying even-keel. When I’ve had good games in years past or whatever, I just try to stay level-headed. The same thing when I’m having slumps like this,” Murray said. “It’s tough. Sometimes you get some great looks, and it doesn’t go down. It gets frustrating, but now for me, it’s just a mental game.”

Teams have been increasingly aggressive while defending Murray, especially in the two-man game with Nikola Jokic. The results are just one game this season where Murray has shot better than 50% from the field, a 9-for-17 performance against Miami when he scored a season-high 28 points.

“We’ve got to find a way, and I have to find a way, to help Jamal get going,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Friday.

No team had more success against Murray than the Mavericks. He finished 4 of 16 from the field with all of his makes coming on 11 attempts from 3-point range.

“If he scored a little bit more consistently, yes, that will help us, but I think he played good,” Jokic said of the night Murray finished with a season-high 11 assists. “He shared the ball. I think he was taking good shots. I think 75% of them were open, so he’s got to take it. It’s not something that he is forcing, I think.”

Despite the ups and downs of the early season, Murray’s doing his best to stay steady.

“I’m good,” he said. “Obviously, it sucks to struggle, sucks to have this slump and try to get out of it. That’s the way it goes sometimes. If it was easy, everybody would be doing this, right?”

What I’m Thinking

After trying to fix the NBA Cup last week, there was a thought to try and resolve the NBA’s All-Star Game, but that event is flawed beyond repair.

An ESPN report last week said the NBA was considering changing the format to a “pick-up” style event between four teams. Three of the teams would be made up of the players tabbed as All-Stars. The fourth team would be the winning squad from the Rising Stars game. The semifinals would be a game to 40, while the finals would be a game to 25. That caters to a younger audience, but the youths also have a pretty good feel for unserious things.

The All-Star Game has become an unfunny joke over the last couple of decades. It was always meant to be a high-scoring festival of highlights, but effort has reached an all-time low recently.

It might be best for the NBA to call it quits on the game and instead focus on expanding the 3-point competition between the NBA and WNBA’s best after Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu went head-to head last season. More notable names and fewer G Leaguers in the Dunk Contest would also conjure up some goodwill from fans.

The new format is fine, but if it doesn’t increase interest or engagement, it might be time to scrap the All-Star Game altogether in favor of shorter, more engaging events.

What They’re Saying

“When you take a step back, and you think about Doug Moe, his name up in the rafters, I think of Stan and Josh Kroenke, the opportunity they’ve given me and my family,” Michael Malone said after becoming the winningest coach in franchise history Saturday night in Los Angeles. “I go back 10 years ago when Tim Connelly and Arturas Karnisovas hired me. Then, the players, I’m not the coach I am without the guys like Nikola and Jamal and Michael and Aaron and everybody else that’s come through that door. So, it’s a heartfelt thank you to every guy in my 10 years that’s worn a Nuggets uniform. Lastly, my coaching staff, obviously, those guys are tremendous. They do a great job. I want to give a shoutout to my wife, my two daughters, my mother – I love you. Thank you for putting up with me. It’s pretty exciting. Doug Moe, obviously, he’ll always be the greatest coach in Nuggets history. He holds a special place in everybody’s heart. It’s just a privilege and honor to be mentioned with him.”

What I’m Following

– Aaron Gordon remains without a timetable to return, Malone said. Monday marked three weeks since Gordon suffered a calf strain against Toronto. Peyton Watson will get more opportunities to start in Gordon’s place.

– The defending champions just got better. Kristaps Porzingis made his first appearance for the Celtics in Monday’s game against the Clippers.

– Phoenix could be gearing up to make a run. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal plan to return from their respective injuries on Tuesday. The Suns are off to a 9-7 start with Durant and Beal only active for nine games apiece.

– Spots in the Eastern Conference’s playoff picture will be wide open for a while, but Charlotte’s chances just got a lot slimmer. Grant Williams, who was playing nearly 30 minutes a night and averaging more than 10 points, five rebounds and two assists, will miss the rest of the season after tearing multiple ligaments in his right knee on Saturday.

The List

Here are the five teams ahead of the Nuggets in the Western Conference standings heading into Monday’s games ranked by how hard it will be for Denver to overtake them.

1. Thunder

The Thunder entered Monday’s slate second due to the tiebreaker. Oklahoma City hasn’t had much injury luck with Isaiah Hartenstein missing the start of the season and Chet Holmgren suffering a more-recent hip injury, but Mark Daigneault has been creative enough to keep the Thunder afloat.

2. Warriors

There’s a significant gap between No. 1 and No. 2 here, but Stephen Curry continues to play at an All-Star level. The Warriors also have three other players – Buddy Hield, Draymond Green and Aaron Wiggins – shooting about 40% from deep. It’s not quite the Splash Brothers version of the Warriors, but the window might still be slightly open.

3. Rockets

Houston sits third in the Western Conference heading into the week, and the Rockets have the depth and youth to continue a push toward a return to the playoffs. Seven different Rockets are scoring more than 11 points per game. If Houston’s front office thinks this team is for real, it has the opportunity to package young players for more established talent.

4. Clippers

Norman Powell has elevated his game alongside James Harden, while Ivica Zubac has provided a steady presence inside. In the event Kawhi Leonard returns happy and healthy, the Clippers have a sneaky shot of holding off the Nuggets.

5. Lakers

A first-year coach paired with a couple of aging superstars makes it tough to see the Lakers holding onto a spot in the top six of the Western Conference. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both playing more than 35 minutes through 16 games and the half-game gap between the Lakers and Nuggets make it increasingly likely Denver jumps ahead in the standings before long.