The Denver Nuggets may have been without Jamal Murray against the Utah Jazz, but they had something even more powerful on their side—pure, unshakable belief. Not just from Nikola Jokic or head coach Michael Malone, but from a young girl in the stands whose love for the team has been a source of inspiration for nearly a decade.
Gertie Munholland, a devoted Nuggets fan with Down Syndrome, has been a familiar face at Denver games. She’s cheered, celebrated, and supported the team through it all. But on this night, she wasn’t just a spectator—she was part of the story.
Just before tipoff, Gertie had one request: Could she take the first shot?
Malone escorted Gertie, as per her request. He asked the crowd to cheer her on and even some of the Nuggets players tried to lift her spirits. And the energy actually manifested itself! Gertie hit a soft shot that bounced onto the rim. The entire crowd showed their support.
And Malone knew right then—no matter what happened on the court, the Nuggets weren’t losing that night.
“I knew we were going to win tonight when Gertie stepped up in front of all those people and she knocked down that shot. That was a special moment for me. And sometimes we all get wrapped up in wins and losses but that is a human moment. And I love that little girl. She’s special,” Malone said about her.
SUPER WHOLESOME MOMENT ALERT!
Before the Nuggets tipoff, miss Gertie was escorted out by head coach Michael Malone for the first shot. She hit the shot, and the team was HYPED! pic.twitter.com/cccqRNVLHM
— Rachel Strand (@MileHighRachel) March 29, 2025
It was right after that he found out Gertie hadn’t made a single one of her practice shots beforehand. It was only when the lights were on her and everybody was watching her that she hit the shot. “Well, she’s a pressure player then,” Michael Malone concluded.
Gertie has done this more than just once. She has been at games for nearly a decade. In 2016, when the Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns, Malone had just as much confidence. “She was involved,” he said back then. So clearly, having her in the crowd or even gracing the team has worked for the team.
Maybe she is their lucky charm or just the purest form of motivation for players to step out and perform.
Nikola Jokic is always the answer
Aside from Gertie Munholland’s charming energy, the Nuggets’ talisman, Nikola Jokic, spun the game around his fingers once again. It wasn’t his best shooting night. But the three-time MVP still managed to drain a full-court shot in the Denver Nuggets’ 36-point victory against the Utah Jazz.
In just his second game back from injury, Jokic compiled 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 steals and forced his will on their opponents. He did all of this in just three quarters. The Jazz couldn’t find a way past Denver’s activated defense, which generated 12 steals and 13 blocks tonight. The Nuggets even committed more turnovers, but their defense prevented a mass leak of points.
The Jazz only scored 12 points in transition. The Nuggets held them to just 35.5% on the night. In reply, the Nikola Jokic-powered offense produced one of their most efficient nights of the season. The Nuggets shot 57.8% from the field. Moreover, each player from the primary 8-man rotation recorded at least a +10 plus/minus.
The Jazz were never really given even an opportunity to march back into the game. They never led at any point in the game, and the Denver Nuggets have now won both of their games since Nikola Jokic made his return. Their defensive improvements, in particular, are a critical part of the game as they head closer to the playoffs.
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