Jamal Murray admirably battled an illness to score 25 points and play 42 minutes in the Denver Nuggets’ 119-107 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 28 year old was listed as questionable to play before the game and was seen visibly struggling on the bench whenever he got an opportunity to sit. When asked after the game if there was any chance he wouldn’t play, his answer was, “Absolutely not.”
The win forces a decisive Game 7 on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. EST in Oklahoma City. Surprisingly, home teams are 5-10 in Game 7 since 2021.
Nikola Jokic led the way for the Nuggets with 29 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and a block. Jokic shot 9-for-14 from the field and 10-of-12 at the free-throw line.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way for the Thunder with 32 points on 11-of-16 shooting. In a crucial stretch, he picked up his fourth foul with 1:29 remaining in the second quarter after which the Nuggets went on a 9-0 run to tie the game.
Denver rode that momentum the rest of the way.
Nuggets’ Gordon Dealing With Injury?
Towards the end of the fourth quarter, Aaron Gordon reached for his left hamstring and was noticeably limping. He was removed from the game and was also seen in pain when on the bench.
This is a terrible outcome within the game for the Nuggets who have received one huge performance after another from their veteran swingman.
Gordon has averaged 14.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in the series thus far. He has also shot a blistering 45.2 percent on threes.
A diminished version of Gordon would have a significant impact on the final outcome of Sunday’s series finale.
Can Thunder’s Williams Find The Range In Game 7?
The Thunder most certainly will not win Game 7 with the Game 6 version of Jalen Williams.
The first time All-Star finished with just six points on 3-of-16 shooting and missed all four of his three-point attempts. The playmaking was there with 10 assists and he brought the other aspects of his well-rounded game. The Thunder need his scoring, though.
Especially in a Game 7 where role players tend to shy away from the moment, Williams will need to show he’s ready to embrace the spotlight and support Gilgeous-Alexander better.
