DENVER — For the first time in Nikola Jokic’s career, the Denver Nuggets went up 2-0 in a series with a home win over Minnesota on Wednesday night, but it was less about Jokic than the return of Playoff Jamal Murray, whose scoring boosted the Nuggets to victory once again.
In a postgame edition of the Locked On Nuggets podcast, hosts Matt Moore and Adam Mares discussed Murray’s performance and Denver’s confidence as the series heads north.
“It was one of those things where you almost weren’t nervous down the stretch, because [Murray] doesn’t need an A, B or C shot, any shot he can get off his fingertips, he’s going to score,” Mares said.
Murray scored 40 points on 13-22 shooting to go along with five assists in 39 minutes played to give Denver a 122-113 win in Game Two.
“Now I think he actually has a legitimate case to say the Bubble was just who he is as a playoff performer, not a Bubble performer,” Mares added.
After a series of 40- and 50-point games in the Nuggets’ run to the conference finals in the league’s Orlando Bubble in 2020, Murray has continued to prove he belongs as a lead scorer for a great postseason team.
This performance was just the latest example.
“Jamal really gave everything in this game,” Moore said. “His effort was great on defense … and I really didn’t feel like he was gunning.”
The Timberwolves will host the Nuggets for Game Three on Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET.