The spotlight may often be on Nikola Jokic when the Denver Nuggets take the floor, but Jamal Murray is quietly putting together a career year and remains central to the team’s championship hopes. However, in Monday’s Game 2 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Murray made a puzzling late-game decision that may have cost Denver the game.
Murray was strong for most of the night, finishing with a team-high 30 points on 11-of-25 shooting, along with seven rebounds and seven assists. But in the final moments of the fourth quarter, with under 20 seconds remaining and Denver trailing 117–114, he had time to create a clean look from beyond the arc. Instead, he settled for a long two-pointer over Rudy Gobert.
Murray had accounted for six of the Nuggets’ 15 made three-pointers, including one from well beyond half-court to close the first half. Yet, when it mattered most, he did not attempt a three. But to his credit, he didn't hide behind excuses either afterward.
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Speaking during the post-game press conference, Murray explained the final possession and why he opted for a two-pointer instead of attempting a three.
“We just need a bucket,” he said. "If I hit the shot, we inbound it. They inbound it. They had Rudy and somebody else out there. I think we could have fouled him, called timeout.”
Murray, however, was not the only one who came up short late. Denver had an opportunity to tie the game after Anthony Edwards was called for traveling with 30 seconds remaining, but Christian Braun missed the front end of two free throws. The Nuggets then fouled Gobert, who converted both attempts, before a transition dunk by Donte DiVincenzo sealed the result following Murray’s two-pointer.
“You got to make shots to do it. And I didn’t make enough shots tonight,” Murray added. “So that’s really about it. We got the looks, played good offense, played good defense. Shots didn’t drop.”
Denver had started the game in dominant fashion, turning an early 11–7 deficit into a 39–25 lead by the end of the first quarter. However, just as Minnesota appeared to be in trouble, they responded with an 11–0 run to open the second quarter and eventually tied the game by halftime. While Jokic led a third-quarter push with 14 points, it was not enough, as Edwards and the Timberwolves fought back to even the series.
"It’s a tough one, we played a great game," Murray said. "I guess it was a fun game to be part of. We just didn't get the job done last couple of minutes. And that doesn't normally happen. So it's a stinger.“
The series now shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on Thursday, and is set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. CT at Target Center in Minneapolis, where Edwards expects the home crowd to try to "rattle" the Nuggets.
