Nuggets Ink

In the latest edition of the Nuggets Ink podcast, beat writer Bennett Durando and sports editor Matt Schubert reconvene days after a dreadful NBA All-Star Game. Among the topics discussed: + Bennett and AAron were in the building to witness the abomination that was Sunday night's NBA All-Star Game. Was it even worse in person than it was on TV? Can the game be fixed? ESPN's Tim Bontemps released his latest MVP straw poll and Nikola Jokic — currently averaging a triple-double — was second behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. How high is the bar for Jokic to win his fourth MVP in five years? + Russell Westbrook left the lineup and the Nuggets played their best basketball of the season with Christian Braun going up another level. If Michael Malone was worried about messing up a good thing the last time he had to make a starting lineup decision, does the same logic apply now that Denver has hit its stride with Russ in street clothes? + Jamal Murray closed out the first half of the season by dropping a double nickel