It’s clearly a setback that would have left a mark. Traveling to Toronto, Jamal Murray's hometown, the Nuggets almost suffered a third defeat in three matches. Which has never happened in the history of the franchise since the arrival of Nikola Jokic and the takeover of Mike Malone!
Fortunately for Denver, five seconds from the end, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray combined perfectly to snatch overtime. Deprived of Scottie Barnes, hit in the face, the Raptors cracked at the end, conceding a 13-3 in the last two minutes, then missing three shots at the end of overtime. Proof that it's a miracle, Jamal Murray's acrobatic basket in the last second is his only one of the 4th quarter.
“It gives the impression of having played a playoff game from the third game of the season” quips Mike Malonerelieved that his players leave Canada with a victory. “We know that we have the best player in the NBA in the high position. You have to play with him, and let him make the right reading. Obviously, he and Jamal know how to play together, and Jamal made an incredible knockdown layup.”
For the Nuggets, it was an ideal situation since the 2023 NBA champions did not need a 3-pointer, their weak point, to go into overtime.
They can thank Davion Mitchell who had just missed a free throw, and Mike Malone had asked his players not to bet on the 3-pointer to pick up the score, and give themselves a chance to equalize. “There was so much time left on the clock, and I didn't feel like I needed to rush things. And then we have Nikola Jokic…” repeats the Denver coach. “If you try a 3-pointer, and you miss it, you have to foul behind, and the match can slip away from you. At -3 with 20 seconds left, let's go get a quick 2-pointer. From there, we're ready to steal the game. You have to make mistakes, and they missed a shot. Everything worked in our favor. »
Murray prophet in his country
Even if Nikola Jokic scores 40 points, the hero of the evening is Jamal Murray. As in the playoffs, against the Lakers, he kept the best on his last shot. At his place.
“Maybe playing so many matches hasn't allowed me to get my bearings yet, but obviously being at home has allowed me to have some of my best friends here, and my family”, appreciated Jamal Murray. “It’s always cool, you know. We only come here once a year. … It was just nice to experience that moment and be able to think back on it. I don't know if I've ever scored a basket like that. Maybe I had already made a shot like that (in Toronto). …Maybe not. »
For Aaron Gordon, who had a serious beef with Scottie Barnes, this victory proves that the foundations are still there, and that it's only a matter of time for everything to work out.
“I think we needed to clear a little dust… That’s just it. When necessary, we will be a well-oiled machine” assures the strong winger. We will see him this evening in Brooklyn, for the second part of this “back-to-back”.
