DENVER — Jamal Murray woke up Thursday feeling sick, but the thought of sitting out never crossed his mind. The Nuggets needed him, and he delivered.
The Denver star guard, listed as questionable before Game 6, shook off illness and exhaustion to score 25 points, grab 8 rebounds, and dish 7 assists. His effort helped the defending champions outlast the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-107 and force a winner-take-all Game 7.
“Absolutely not,” Murray said when asked if he considered skipping the game. “Once the game starts, the team needs you and the adrenaline kicks in. You see a couple of shots going in and you just suck it up and play through it.”
A Strong Start Despite Fatigue
Murray received IV fluids and continuous treatment throughout the day. Still, he logged a game-high 42 minutes, playing through fatigue and breathing difficulty. He opened the scoring with an and-one three-pointer and poured in 11 points during the first quarter.
“He opened the game really good for us,” said Nikola Jokic, who added 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists. “I don’t think [the illness] affected him at all. When you play the game, you forget about everything else.”
Murray’s Playoff Brilliance Continues
The Nuggets are now 9-3 in elimination games with Murray in the lineup. He’s averaged 27.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in those contests. In Game 6, he played the entire third quarter, helping the Nuggets pull away with a 10-0 run.
Julian Strawther added 15 points—all in the second half—and made key plays during that stretch.
“Jamal is just a different cat,” Strawther said. “He’s wired differently. One of the toughest guys in the league.”
Another Game 7 Awaits
Thursday’s win sends Denver to its seventh Game 7 since 2019—more than any other team in that span. The decisive contest will take place Sunday in Oklahoma City.
There is some concern for Denver’s roster. Forward Aaron Gordon exited in the fourth quarter due to hamstring tightness and will be evaluated Friday.
“I feel OK. We’ll see,” Gordon said. “I’m going to start the recovery process now and make sure I’m ready.”
Coaching Confidence in a Clutch Performer
Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman, who celebrated his 44th birthday Thursday, admitted he wasn’t sure what to expect from Murray given the circumstances.
“The first six minutes I was thinking, ‘Is this real? Can he do it?’” Adelman said. “But he had good energy, good juice. There were moments where he was completely gassed, but somehow that brings the best out of him. He’s one of the toughest-minded players I’ve ever seen.”
As the Nuggets prepare for Game 7, one thing is clear: they’ll go as far as Murray can take them — illness or not.
