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It’s pretty clear that frustration is plenty in the Denver Nuggets locker room. They find themselves in a difficult situation after losing consecutive playoff games that puts them in a dangerous situation with their back-to-back defense.
One can argue that no one is taking this difficult situation harder than Jamal Murray. The Blue Arrow performed poorly in Game 2 as the Minnesota defense successfully stopped him from feeling comfortable on the floor. He was so frustrated that he lashed out against a referee and is facing a hefty fine because of it.
To make matters worse, he is still recovering from an injury that could affect his performance for the rest of the series. While it’s still unknown whether he’ll be able to fully recover this season, his ability to get past this trouble will determine whether the Nuggets will manage to mount a comeback or not.
Jamal Murray remains focused on helping the Denver Nuggets win despite persistent calf injury
Murray’s performance in Game 2 makes it clear that he’s still not fully recovered from the calf issues that has bothered him since the first round of the series. He finished the game with only eight points to his name, with his shooting a shocking three-for-18 on the field.
He did make up for it with his rebounding (13) and contributed a bit in playmaking (two assists) and defense (two steals). However, Murray is one of the offensive anchors of the Denver Nuggets. Him failing to make his shots only emphasizes the lack of another reliable scorer in the roster.
Christopher Kamila of Sports Al Dente wrote about Murray’s importance to the roster during the postseason:
Despite Nikola Jokić’s stellar performance and potential MVP win, Murray remains a crucial factor in the Nuggets’ postseason success, often stepping up in critical moments. His injury casts a shadow of concern over Denver’s playoff prospects, particularly against a formidable Timberwolves team, which presents a tougher challenge than the Lakers squad they dominated in previous postseasons.
His lack of offensive firepower was the most noticeable thing if you compare his current performances to Denver’s championship run. He’s averaging 20.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, which is lower than last season. His shooting also dove, converting only 37.5% of his FG attempts.
Mike Malone and the Nuggets hope that their star guard will find his shooting gloves sooner than later, or they’ll have to book their tickets to Cancun earlier this year.
More must-reads:
- Pacers ride historic shooting performance to Game 7 blowout of Knicks
- Knicks' Jalen Brunson suffers serious injury in Game 7 vs. Pacers
- The 'Most triple-doubles in the postseason' quiz
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