Jamal Murray puts up 40 as Denver Nuggets dump Minnesota Timberwolves
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Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (left) with Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley during Game 2 of their NBA play-offs.
PHOTO: REUTERS
DENVER – Denver coach Michael Malone paid tribute to Jamal Murray on Wednesday, as the Nuggets guard poured in 40 points in a 122-113 home victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in arguably the performance of the night in the National Basketball Association (NBA) play-offs.
Denver, the No. 1 seeds in the Western Conference, now lead the best-of-seven series 2-0.
The victory was the latest milestone in Murray’s long road back from a serious knee injury.
The 26-year-old point guard missed the entire 2021-2022 campaign after undergoing surgery to repair torn knee ligaments in April 2021.
Denver looked to be cruising to victory after leading 64-49 at half-time before a 40-point Minnesota third quarter turned the game on its head to leave the Timberwolves up by two.
But Murray and Michael Porter Jr combined for 23 fourth-quarter points to seal Denver’s victory.
“It was a passionate, heartfelt performance,” Malone said of Murray’s display.
“Just the fact that he’s missed the last two post-seasons, just to have him back, and playing at that level – Jamal overall was terrific. He left a piece of him out there tonight.”
Murray was almost outshone by Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, who finished with 41 points in a losing effort.
But he was supported by Porter’s 16 points and Nikola Jokic’s 27 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
Edwards’ 41 points were a franchise play-off record – hitting 14 of 23 shots – including six of 10 from three-point range.
Rudy Gobert scored 19 points, Mike Conley had 14 points, and Taurean Prince put up 12 points for the eighth-seeded Timberwolves.
“We knew at some point we’d see the aggressive, attacking Timberwolves,” Malone added of Minnesota’s fightback.
“In that third quarter, we saw it and they played great and we didn’t defend in the third quarter, but I was proud of how we responded in that fourth quarter.”
Separately, Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown was named NBA Coach of the Year on Wednesday, a day after his point guard De’Aaron Fox won the Clutch Player of the Year award.
Brown became the first coach in league history to unanimously win the award, receiving all 100 first-place votes from media members to beat out finalists Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics.
Daigneault finished with 48 second-place votes and 164 total points, while Mazzulla tallied 18 and 77, respectively.
Brown, 53, is in his first season as coach of the Kings and has helped Sacramento back to the play-offs for the first time since 2006.
The Kings, who finished third in the West this season by going 48-34, hold a 2-0 lead over reigning champions the Golden State Warriors in their play-off series. REUTERS, AFP
