"We just beat LA in LA": Jamal Murray defends dismal performance, says players 'have lives outside of basketball'
Jamal Murray defended the Denver Nuggets following their ugly 145-118 loss to the New York Knicks at the Ball Arena on Monday. OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson's career-high nights with points and assists respectively saw them put the screws on a Denver side that had no answers. Karl-Anthony Towns dropped a 30-point double-double to compound their woes as they outplayed the Nuggets thoroughly.
Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the loss, Murray believed it was an off-night for his side. He added that they beat an impressive-looking LA Lakers earlier and that losses were part of the game.
"It's a long season. Guys have lives outside of basketball. We just beat LA in LA. We've got some guys who live in LA, so stayed in LA. I don't think the focus was there from everybody, and that's what happens when you don't have the focus."
The Nuggets key players had starts, but none that translated to a winning outcome. Murray himself recorded 20 points and seven assists. Nikola Jokic had a rare quiet night with 27 points and just four rebounds. Russell Westbrook led Denver with a team-high 27 points off the bench.
The loss puts the Nuggets in eighth place with a 9-7 record. They are now tied with the seventh-placed Phoenix Suns who share the same record.
After Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic weighs in on abysmal loss at the hands of the Knicks
Speaking in the same presser, Nikola Jokic believed that a tough result was a necessary wake-up call for the Nuggets.
"It's always good to get punched in the face, just to wake up."
It has been a rather wobbly campaign for the Nuggets as they are just over the.500 mark. The offseason moves dipped their stocks a tad, and the loss of Aaron Gordon to injury further depleted their frontcourt. Much of their reliance has been on Jokic, while the likes of Jamal Murray and Westbrook have blown hot and cold. They are 5-4 at home and are 6-4 in their last 10 games.
The Nuggets have a challenging slate of games coming up. They hit the road to take on the Utah Jazz and the LA Clippers. They play the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers in their next five games. Only time will tell if Jamal Murray and Jokic can help Denver bounce back as they hit the 20-game mark this season.