"It’s just loud shots" - Jaden McDaniels downplays Jamal Murray's scoring prowess on Nuggets
After going down 2-0, the Denver Nuggets have rallied to tie their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After being ineffective in the first two games, especially Game 2, Jamal Murray bounced back and played better in Games 3 and 4 for the Nuggets.
Murray, as usual, was making tough shots against the Timberwolves and when the defense collapsed on him, he found his teammates in a better position to score. However, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels doesn't think Murray has been that impactful.
While preparing for Game 5, McDaniels told the media that he was not worried about Murray much.
"I mean, he's gonna make those shots, the shots he makes," McDaniels said. "We're making it difficult for him. I mean he still scores but it's like a bunch of shots he shoots so, I mean I'm not really tripping about it. It's just loud shots, it's not really hurting us."
In Game 3, Murray scored 24 points on an 11-for-21 shooting clip (52.4% FG), which was his best performance thus far against the Timberwolves. Additionally, he also had five assists.
He followed it up with another strong scoring performance in Game 4, where he scored 19 points while shooting 8-for-17 from the field (47.1%) and got eight assists.
These were in contrast to his performances in Games 1 and 2, where he shot for a combined 28.1% from the field.
His shooting and playmaking abilities are crucial to the Nuggets' success, and if they hope to win, he'll need to continue to improve in the series' remaining games.
Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch believes Jamal Murray was never going to be suspended for Game 2 antics
The Denver Nuggets' frustrations during their blowout loss in Game 2 were most evident when Jamal Murray threw a heat pack on the floor while he was on the bench. Murray's actions were condemned, and fans flamed him online, with many calling for him to be suspended.
However, Murray remains in the series despite his actions. As such, he helped his team tie the series against the Wolves.
As per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Wolves head coach Chris Finch was not surprised that he was not suspended for his actions. The head coach had zero doubt that he would suit up in Game 3.
Finch was also quoted saying that whether Jamal Murray's actions should have led to a suspension no longer matters to him.
The Timberwolves-Nuggets series are now tied 2-2, and Game 5 will be played at the Ball Arena in Denver in front of the Nuggets' home fans. However, home-court advantage has not been a thing throughout this conference semifinals, as the road team has won every game so far.