The only thing hotter than Jamal Murray’s shooting on Wednesday night might have been his temper.
The Denver guard was still upset with the Portland Trail Blazers after being ejected for trash-talking on Monday. When he faced them again two days later, Murray let his play do the talking, scoring a career-high 55 points to lead the Nuggets to a 132-121 victory.
“They (the Trail Blazers) shouldn’t have done that,” said Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji about the trash talk. “When he’s mad, there’s no one that can stop him.”
Murray brought out his “Playoff Murray” form in Denver’s last game before the All-Star break. He was tough to defend when he helped the Nuggets win their first NBA championship in 2023, and he was just as hard to stop on Wednesday. He hit one long-range shot after another, scoring 30 points in the first half. When the Trail Blazers adjusted their defense in the second half, Murray made changes, too, attacking the basket.
Murray finished the game 20 of 36 from the field, including seven 3-pointers. His 55 points are the third-highest in franchise history, only behind David Thompson’s 73 points in 1978 and Nikola Jokic’s 56 points in 2023. In the ABA, Spencer Haywood had a 59-point game for the Denver Rockets in 1970.
“He was just ultra-aggressive tonight,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. “As a coach, watching one of your players have that type of game, just so proud of him and happy for him. He’s been playing at a high level for us, and tonight was his best game ever from a numbers standpoint.”
Murray was fired up after his ejection in Denver’s 146-117 win over the Blazers on Monday. He got a technical foul in the third quarter and another in the fourth after trash-talking following a three-point play with a free throw.
Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers (NBA)That ejection gave him motivation for Wednesday’s game.
“It’s just all competitive spirit,” Murray said. “I came ready to play. Especially just being used to the playoffs and playing the same team over and over, they know your plays, and things get chippy when you have to see them again. That factor made me ready to go. I was truly prepared today.”
For his big performance, Murray received the game ball signed by all of his teammates. He brought it to the postgame press conference.
“It’s just years of chemistry with those guys,” Murray said. “They know me. I know them, and tonight was just them looking out for me. I know I shot the ball well, but I brought the ball up here just because I couldn’t do it without them. That’s why we’re such a good team.”
His performance took the spotlight, but Nikola Jokic also had a great game, with 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking his 25th triple-double of the season.
Murray showed he could do it all, even though he’s been dealing with nagging injuries this season, such as left knee and hamstring inflammation and a sprained right ankle.
“I feel the same,” he said. “I’ve been the same person, same player, for years now. I came in ready to go today. I was hopping before the game started, and that’s just because of the last game.”
