Denver Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray played a starring role despite struggling with an illness in Game 6 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Listed as questionable due to illness, Murray showed no doubt he’d be in the starting lineup and delivered a typical performance of 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Murray’s team, now 9-3 when he’s on the lineup, extended their Western Conference semifinals series and season with a 119-107 win. Nuggets coach David Adelman initially worried about how much the illness would affect Murray but was reassured by his energy and determination in the first quarter.
“I thought he had good energy and good juice,” said Adelman, who celebrated his birthday on Thursday. “He was so gassed, having a hard time breathing. But that’s Jamal Murray.” The Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged the Nuggets’ sense of urgency but couldn’t contain them for most of the game.
The win brings the Nuggets closer to advancing in the playoffs, with Murray set to face another tough test in Game 7 on Sunday. However, power forward Aaron Gordon’s availability is uncertain after exiting late in the fourth quarter with a tight left hamstring.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45171218/jamal-murray-scores-25-nuggets-force-game-7-vs-thunder