Jamal Murray‘s sickness had the Denver Nuggets itemizing him as “questionable” earlier than Recreation 6. As ordinary, his efficiency in an elimination recreation was something however questionable.
Regardless of the Nuggets medical employees did to assist Murray get well on Thursday labored. Murray had 25 factors, eight rebounds and 7 assists in Denver’s 119-107 win over the Thunder that pressured a Recreation 7 in Oklahoma Metropolis Sunday afternoon. Within the 42 minutes Murray performed, the Nuggets had been 28 factors higher than the Thunder. Within the six minutes he sat, they had been 16 factors worse.
It was a typical elimination recreation for Murray, who’s 9-3 in such playoff video games for his profession. He averages 27.6 factors, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists. Now he’ll have two full days to relaxation, hydrate and put together for the thirteenth elimination recreation of his profession.
Recreation 6 swung close to the top of the second quarter, after the Thunder had taken a 12-point lead because of a 9-0 run, initiated by six straight factors by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32 factors, six assists). However when SGA picked up his fourth foul and needed to sit, the Nuggets rallied to tie the sport, with Murray discovering Christian Braun for a tying three-pointer earlier than Lu Dort answered along with his personal on the buzzer.
Within the third, Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman was aggressive along with his starters, retaining Murray, Braun and Nikola Jokic within the recreation all quarter. That paid off with a 10-0 run on the finish of the quarter when Murray assisted on three Julian Strawther baskets, scored one in every of his personal and drew an offensive foul. The Thunder by no means acquired nearer than seven factors the remainder of the best way.
In a collection the place Jokic’s teammates have let him down, Denver acquired 23 factors from Braun and 15 for Strawther. Jokic had 29 factors, 14 rebounds and eight assists, however solely took needed to take 14 photographs.
He and Murray each made 9 discipline targets, whereas Braun made eight. It was sufficient on an evening the place the Nuggets dominated on the boards, 52-40, and made 17 extra free throws.
The Jokic-Murray mixture has received a variety of massive playoff video games through the years. Thursday’s recreation was one of many greatest.
