It’s no secret Jamal Murray hasn’t been playing well against the Minnesota Timberwolves, unlike his dangerous performance against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. Right before Game 3, Denver Nuggets head coach Jamal Murray promised that the point guard will bounce back soon.
In the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, Murray was a big contributor to Denver’s elimination of Los Angeles. Even though he only shot 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc, the Nuggets’ guard still averaged 23.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. Moreover, his late-game heroics helped seal a couple of wins for team.
In comparison, Murray isn’t as effective as before against Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the two games he has played, the guard only posted 12.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. He only connected 28 percent of his field goals and 25 percent from the three-point line.
With the momentum on Minnesota’s side, Denver will need Murray to play better in the coming weeks. Otherwise, their expected title defense will end up in disappointment this year.
Denver Nuggets Head Coach Michael Malone Dropped Jamal Murray Promise For Game 3 Against Minnesota Timberwolves
Right before Game 3, Michael Malone spoke to reporters and aired Murray’s mindset heading into the upcoming match. In a tweet posted by Ryan Blackburn on X:
Michael Malone on Jamal Murray:
“Jamal will bounce back, I have no doubt about that.”
“I thought in practice, Jamal’s focus and energy was outstanding today.”
Said the Nuggets worked on some things today in practice to help Murray get going in Game 3, Malone said.
In contrast, the Timberwolves’ backcourt is firing on all cylinders during the past two games. Edwards averaged 35.0 points and 5.0 assists, while veteran point guard Mike Conley notched 9.0 points and 8.0 assists against the Nuggets.
It remains to be seen whether Murray is going to step up in the upcoming days to help Denver bounce back. If he doesn’t, a lot of people are going to sour on the defending champions and how they blew their chance to go back-to-back this year.
For More Great Basketball Content
Follow me on Twitter at @BeatKit22 and follow us @HardwoodHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional sports, click here!
