Jamal Murray delivered a performance reminiscent of Michael Jordan’s legendary ‘Flu Game’, propelling the Denver Nuggets to a pivotal game seven in the NBA Western Conference semi-finals.
The Nuggets guard faced uncertainty leading into Friday’s (AEST) encounter with the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder and their MVP frontrunner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Despite battling illness, Murray surpassed expectations, even taking a cheeky jab at his Canadian teammate for flopping at one point.
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Murray ultimately clocked a game-high 42 minutes, contributing 25 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds to the effort.
Listed as questionable ahead of the matchup, Murray was adamant to ESPN about his desire to participate in the win-or-go-home clash, stating he was “absolutely not” missing it.
“It’s great. It’s another step in the right direction, but we’ve got a massive game in two days,” he remarked.
Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Getty
“Kudos to Murray for pushing through his illness,” commented analyst and former Thunder centre Kendrick Perkins.
“Many former players carry regrets because they wish they’d had the chance to compete on a team with a real shot at an NBA title. When you have a squad capable of contending for a championship, you strive to have no regrets and are willing to endure anything to seize that chance.”
He continued, “Murray was not feeling his best, yet he came out and set the tone in that first quarter, which was impressive given his struggles in the prior three games.”
Jordan’s ‘Flu Game’ occurred during game five of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, where he scored 38 points, including a game-winning three-pointer that secured victory for the Chicago Bulls.
Michael Jordan sits on the bench wrapped in towels. Getty
The deciding game seven will take place on Monday (AEST) in Oklahoma City, with the Minnesota Timberwolves patiently awaiting the victor after eliminating the Golden State Warriors in five games.
Denver is also holding its breath over forward Aaron Gordon, who was seen grabbing at his left hamstring late in the game and limped through the final moments.
“The guys in that locker room seemed more excited for an off day tomorrow than the impending game seven,” joked Nuggets coach David Adelman.
Adelman confirmed Murray was “definitely sick” and was cleared just 45 minutes before the game began.
Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists, while Christian Braun contributed a playoff career-high of 23 points and 12 rebounds.
However, it was the second-year reserve guard Julian Strawther who sparked the Nuggets’ impressive run, scoring a playoff personal best of 15 points all in the second half.
Strawther tallied a couple of threes and a layup during a 10-0 third-quarter run that pushed the Nuggets ahead by double digits, continuing to shine in the fourth as Denver battled through this taxing, hard-fought series.
Gilgeous-Alexander was the standout for the Thunder, finishing with 32 points, including 18 in the second half while playing with four fouls since the second quarter.
Unfortunately for him, he didn’t receive sufficient support from his usually dependable teammates to secure Oklahoma City’s first trip to the Western Conference finals since 2016, when they fell to the Warriors in a seven-game series. – with AP
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