DENVER — With Nuggets interim coach David Adelman at the helm, Jamal Murray delivered one of his signature playoff performances, leading Denver to a commanding 131-115 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday night. This victory nudged the Nuggets one step closer to a second-round face-off with Oklahoma City.
Murray’s impressive 43-point performance was a testament to his shooting prowess, as he went 17-of-26 from the field, with an impressive 8-of-14 from beyond the arc.
“I think tonight he was outstanding,” Kawhi Leonard commented. “He came out, hit shots, caught fire, and utilized his teammates effectively. We struggled to contain him. He was phenomenal. Russ (Westbrook) also had a noteworthy game as well.”
Russell Westbrook returned from a left foot injury with vigor, contributing 21 points, which included 16 points within a mere 12 first-half minutes, helping the Nuggets maintain a wire-to-wire lead.
Adelman remarked that some of Murray’s shots were “absolutely unbelievable” and emphasized that they were anticipating such a performance from Murray who thrives in crucial moments.
This game marked Murray’s most prolific scoring performance outside the Orlando bubble during the pandemic.
“When Murray is aggressive, our team dynamic shifts,” Westbrook explained. “When he plays with such confidence and competition, we’re an exceptionally tough team to beat.”
The Nuggets’ victory was not solely owed to Murray, as Aaron Gordon added 23 points and Nikola Jokic contributed his 21st playoff triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. Christian Braun further added to the mix with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Braun also excelled defensively, holding James Harden to a modest 11 points from 3-of-9 shooting and forcing four turnovers.
For the second game in a row, Denver secured a 22-point lead early in the fourth quarter, only for the Clippers to mount a comeback. In Game 4, the Clippers erased the entire deficit, but still fell 101-99 after Gordon’s historic buzzer-beater. This time, the Clippers managed a 17-4 run reducing their deficit to 116-107, only for the Nuggets to respond with an 11-0 counter, involving six points from Murray and five from Gordon, which prompted Tyronn Lue, the Clippers coach, to substitute in his bench players.
Thursday night at the Intuit Dome, Game 6 could see Denver sealing a second-round clash against the top-seeded Oklahoma City, who completed a sweep over the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round.
In an impressive display, Ivaca Zubac topped the Clippers’ effort with a playoff career-high 27 points, with Leonard adding 20 and Bogdan Bogdanovic 18.
The return of Westbrook allowed Adelman to better utilize his bench, subjecting all five starters to at least 42 minutes in Game 4. In the recent game, only Murray remained on court for more than 40 minutes.
Lue noted the inevitability of Murray’s aggressive play, stating, “That’s why we began with a blitz to try and slow him. We anticipated an aggressive Murray, but he executed every shot — from pull-ups to mid-range. We employed a multitude of defenses but he was simply remarkable.”
“Restricting Joker to 13 points and yet losing is tough, but that’s how they defeat you. Focus excessively on him and others step up. Jamal Murray was exceptional tonight.”?