Donovan Mitchell wants a deep playoff run with the Utah Jazz after dropping 51 points to join Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson in an elite NBA club. 

Mitchell outshone Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray - who scored 50 points - to lead the Jazz to a 129-127 victory in Game 4 as Utah moved 3-1 up in the first round. 

It was the second time Mitchell had gone beyond 50 points in the matchup, a feat only former MVPs and Hall of Famers Jordan and Iverson have previously managed in a single playoff series in the league's entire history. 

"Honestly, it's the first round," Mitchell told reporters of emulating Jordan and Iverson. 

"The two guys you named have made it to the Finals. Michael Jordan is obviously the greatest basketball player of all time. 

"I got a lot of work to do to catch up to those guys. I am honoured to be in that category, but we are doing all this in the first round." 

The talented youngster has certainly bounced back from his performance in the postseason last year, when he missed 18 of his 22 shots as the Jazz crashed to a decisive Game 5 loss against the Houston Rockets in the first round.

"It's no secret that last year's playoffs wasn't my best," Mitchell added. "And I took that personally, and I am going to trust my work and keep moving forward.

"I love hearing negative things about me. 

"The knock on me has been, 'Inefficient, not a team player', whatever it is.

"I pride myself on being a team player, on being a playmaker. I've said it a thousand times, and I am going to continue to do that.

"Fifty [points] is what it is, but I am more happy that I got seven assists."

Mitchell scored 16 of the Jazz's final 20 points and urged his team to punch their ticket to the next round in Game 5.

"The job's not finished," he added.

"As good as this one feels, we won by two, and we're on to Game 5."