Having a father in the Hall of Fame comes in handy.
“I kind of got the answers to the test being so young and watching my pops play,” Tim Hardaway Jr. said after leading Denver’s 121-115 comeback win over the Raptors on Friday at Ball Arena.
“Just being able to have someone a phone call away it really, truly, helps when I’m having games like the previous two before this one.”
Junior went a combined 2 for 18 in Denver’s two previous games. He helped flip the script by scoring nine of his 23 points in the final quarter and finishing 7 of 10 from 3-point range with Hardaway Sr. in attendance Friday. He credited his father with demonstrating the importance of confidence in your game.
“It’s all things great and crazy at the same time,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said of Hardaway’s self-belief. “His confidence level, it never wavers, which is a talent I think we all wish we had in certain parts of life. In basketball, that’s what he has. He firmly believes after he misses, the next five are going to go in. He is a green-light player. I’ll never bat an eye if he takes a shot. He has these nights where he can just turn games.”
Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr., right, drives past Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 20, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Hardaway’s first 3 of the fourth capped a 13-2 run that put Denver up by two after Toronto led by as many as 11. Immanuel Quickley scored the next five to put Toronto back in front before Spencer Jones, playing center in a small-ball lineup, found Hardaway in the corner for a tying triple with 7 minutes, 27 seconds left. A couple of minutes later, Hardaway scooped up a loose ball and fired without a thought. Denver never trailed the rest of the way.
“Just go out there and have the utmost confidence, because the ball is going to come right back to you whether you like it or not, especially when you least expect it,” Hardaway said. “So, you have to be ready in those moments.”
Murray led the Nuggets with 31 points, while Nikola Jokic added 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Aaron Gordon (16), Bruce Brown (12) and Christian Braun (11) also scored in double figures for Denver.
Jakob Poeltl led six Raptors in double figures with 23 points, but he missed a couple of crucial free throws with 12 seconds left to help seal Denver’s victory.
Hardaway, who finished as Denver’s second-leading scorer despite playing the sixth-most minutes, admitted winning Sixth Man of the Year was one of his goals when he signed with Denver in the offseason. A few more nights like Friday would certainly help his case.
“I don’t know how he’s not in the race. (He’s) scoring in bunches, still playing defense, still bringing intensity on defense, being physical. He’s not just coming in and making shots. He does a lot. He’s talking. He’s into the game. He’s into the ball. He’s engaged in every shot. He’s engaged in every opportunity he has. He’s a starter out there,” Murray said.
“He just comes in and knows what to do, and he knows where we’re going to find him. He’s ready for that, and he’s been ready for that.”
NUGGETS 121, RAPTORS 115
What happened: Denver trailed by three after the first quarter but took a 57-53 lead to halftime. Toronto reclaimed a nine-point advantage to start the fourth, but the Nuggets completed the comeback to improve to 43-28.
What went right: The Nuggets held the Raptors to 21 points in the final quarter. Toronto went 9 of 22 in the quarter and 1 of 4 from the free-throw line.
What went wrong: Denver committed five of its 10 turnovers in the third quarter and gave up 41 points in the period. Toronto went 17 of 22 from the field in the quarter.
Highlight of the night: Cam Johnson had a couple of dunks in the first half. The first was a putback effort, and the second came off a smart cut while Jokic was being double-teamed.
Up next: The Nuggets have another Sunday matinee against the Trail Blazers.