Jamal Murray’s Playoff Dominance: A Key Factor in Denver’s Success
The Denver Nuggets have been on a roll in the NBA playoffs, with Jamal Murray leading the charge. According to a report by TalkSport, Murray’s impressive performance has been a key factor in the team’s success. In the regular season, Murray averaged 21.4 points, six assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game. However, in the playoffs, he has taken his game to a new level, averaging 24.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game through five games against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Murray’s impressive playoff statistics have placed him in an elite company. As per TalkSport, he is one of only five players in NBA history to post 24-plus points, six-plus assists, and four-plus rebounds per game over at least 70 postseason appearances. The other players on this exclusive list are Jerry West, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Nikola Jokić. Notably, even the great Michael Jordan does not make the cut, despite his impressive playoff statistics.
In Game 5, Murray was unstoppable, scoring 43 points in a 131-115 victory over the Clippers. TalkSport reported that Clippers coach Ty Lue praised Murray’s aggressive play, saying, "The tough start was Jamal Murray. I thought he came out being aggressive, which we knew he would. That’s why we started off with a blitz against him, just to slow him down."
The Clippers tried various defensive strategies to contain Murray, but he was able to make every shot. As quoted by TalkSport, Lue said, "We did everything. We blitzed him, we dropped, we switched, we did a lot of different coverages, but he had a hell of a game." Murray’s impressive performance was a key factor in the Nuggets’ victory, with teammate Nikola Jokić taking a back seat and scoring just 13 points.
Despite Jokić’s relatively quiet game, he was still able to contribute with 10 rebounds and 12 assists for a triple-double. TalkSport reported that Jokić was happy to see Murray in top form, saying, "Yeah. I mean, it’s great. It was not my night, and I have nothing like that’s fine. I’m going to try to do whatever I need to do to win the game."
Murray’s performance has also earned him a place in Nuggets history. As per TalkSport, he passed Jokić to break the franchise record with his sixth 40-plus-point playoff game. With Russell Westbrook also playing well and Jokić dominating the boards, the Nuggets are looking like strong contenders in the Western Conference.
As reported by TalkSport, Westbrook said, "When he’s aggressive, we’re a different team. When he’s got that swagger and he’s going out and competing at the level he did tonight, we’re a tough team to beat." The Nuggets will look to close out the series against the Clippers in Game 6, with a victory setting up a Western Conference semifinal against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
