“That was the highest basketball being played, because it was only basketball” – Denver Nuggets star describes playing ‘bubble basketball’, says players were locked in as basketball was the only option around
Being part of the NBA Bubble, Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray shared his wonderful playing experience in Orlando. As the secondary star for the Nuggets, Murray was one of the few players to put up historic performances during the bubble games.
Using only one word to describe the events that transpired in the NBA Bubble, it would be the word "insane." From the Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler opening a coffee business from his hotel room to the Phoenix Suns not losing a single game throughout their stay in Orlando, the NBA Bubble was definitely insane. Although not every fan enjoyed this approach, it was clear that the players enjoyed their stay.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was one of the players that had an incredible run in Orlando. In their first-round matchup against the Utah Jazz, Murray stood out among the rest. Logging two 50-point games and pushing the series to seven games. Both he and the Jazz's Donovan Mitchell went back and forth against each other. This historic exchange was one of the reasons why the NBA Bubble was watched by most fans.
Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks recently had a chance to sit down and talk to Jamal Murray about his experience in the bubble. Murray had this to say:
"That was the highest basketball being played, because it was only basketball," Murray said on his experience in the NBA Bubble.
"Guys were so locked in. You go to the gym, you have shootaround, you eat, you play. Win or lose, you're in your room, you go back to the gym. If you wanna do something, you want a hobby, just go to the other gym, you have court time from 6-9, that's all we did."
“That was the highest basketball being played, because it was only basketball.”
Jamal Murray describes how players were LOCKED IN during the NBA Bubble 🔒 https://t.co/VfxJ2Fr7XZ
"Guys were just locked in, so we're always talking about basketball, we're always talking about coverages, we're always in the gym shooting free throws."
With Murray back in the lineup for the Denver Nuggets, it's possible that he could repeat his historic bubble run.
Jamal Murray's return have made the Denver Nuggets into contenders again
After missing the entire 2021-22 NBA season due to an ACL injury, Jamal Murray is finally back and is ready to help Nikola Jokic. The Denver Nuggets star guard is one of the most dynamic scorers in today's game. He's extremely valuable to the team and his contributions aren't something that people should ignore.
In his five seasons in the league, Murray has averaged 16.3 points, 3.8 assists and a steal. He's also a very efficient secondary option, shooting over 44% from the field and 36% from downtown. The season before he was injured was the only campaign where he averaged over 20 points.
During the lone year where Jokic carried the Nuggets by himself, the team struggled to find a consistent secondary option. Aaron Gordon was the closest the team could rely on, but it wasn't enough. Now that Murray is finally healthy, Jokic will finally be able to share the load on offense. Additionally, Michael Porter Jr. is expected to make a return to the lineup.