The stat didn’t make too much noise, but Jamal Murray is the best passer in this final, and that’s no small feat when playing alongside Nikola Jokic. Last night, he also became the first player in history to play four games with 10 or more assists for his first NBA final. Already author of 10 assists in each of the first three sets, the Canadian did even better this night with 12 assists. Better still, the Nuggets leader does not lose a ball, and only two players had achieved such a feat (12 passes and more for no lost ball) in the history of the Finals: Robert Reid (Rockets) in 1986 and Magic Johnson (Lakers ) in 1987.
Even if he was clumsy (5 of 17 on shots), Murray was remarkable in his management of the attack, alternating between passes in the pocket squares and shifts in the right tempo for his shooters. “Tonight was a ‘point guard’, a ‘point God’. “He didn’t force anything” summarizes Aaron Gordon. Same enthusiasm with Mike Malone : “12 assists and no stray balls, as the Heat came out on him on every pick-and-roll and they put a lot of players in front of him. It’s amazing ! »
Murray did not force anything
Asked about his way of playing in Game 4, more like a playmaker, Murray justifies himself: “Tonight, I felt like they were reading every one of our pick-and-rolls, and I tried to rely on my shot. But I didn’t insist. We form a group. We have a lot of players who can come into play to have an impact, a lot of players who play with confidence. So I didn’t insist, and I made simple passes to the other four players. Jeff (Green) made an important 3-pointer. Aaron (Gordon) did his thing all night. Bruce (Brown) put his baskets… A lot of players are there, and I don’t have to insist. I’m not in a team where you need me to force things or keep the ball for a long time. »
In Game 4, Murray found himself in control by force of circumstance as Nikola Joker joined the bench with five fouls. The Heat then doubled up, but got away with it.
“It’s exactly the same” he continues. “Each plays for the other. I was more in control, looking for my spots, watching if I had to take a shot, penetrating and seeing how the defense was doing. I feel like I had an impact on the game when I really didn’t shoot well. I took a lot of shots late in possession, with four seconds left on possession. If I have to take those shots every time, that’s fine with me, but tonight everyone upped their game and we had a lot of fun playing together. It’s a team sport. »
“Jamal just read the defence, did the right thing and trusted”
The final word for his coach, really impressed by his player: “Jamal said to himself that if they took him together, he had to make the right choice. He doesn’t mind making the right choice. He didn’t say to himself, I’m going to save us and try to carry the team. He just read the defence, made the right move and trusted. It’s a big part of who we are: trusting each other. I thought the confidence Jamal gave his teammates tonight was on a very high level. I’m really proud of his performance, and again, it wasn’t just Nikola and Jamal. Many players contributed. »
