Jamal Murray, the point guard for the Denver Nuggets, spoke after the win against the Los Angeles Lakers, where he was the hero.
The Canadian once again was the man for the Colorado team. He made a shot from mid-range with three seconds left, a shot, as he emphasizes, that he practiced as a child.
“These are the shots you dream about as a kid. You practice them in the backyard. But you don’t get that shot if everyone doesn’t play their part. Aaron Gordon had a huge rebound. I can’t describe how important that was. Porter hit huge threes. It’s because of my teammates. They’re doing a great job, finding ways to get new possessions, to stop the attack. That can win the game. Sometimes hitting the shot is the easiest part. We need to stop LeBron James. That’s the challenge,” began the modest Jamal Murray.
Murray then reflected on the seasoned James, who was evidently his idol:
“I remember when I was a kid, he was playing against the Orlando Magic for the Cleveland Cavaliers. I was wearing his jersey, I got it for my birthday from my dad’s friend. I remember wearing his jersey then, and he made a shot in the last second. I know I told my dad, there’s no way they’re going to win, and I remember being breathless.
He’s always been my favorite player. It’s a pleasure to play against him. He makes you think during the game. He’s still physically dominant, but he makes you think about the game, passing; his timing is great. You know LeBron James, it’s a pleasure to play against him, and it’s fun to beat him. He blocked me a few times, I made a few shots, but he blocked me on a layup, I think on a dunk in the second game. It’s fun to have such a duel with one of the greatest,” Murray concluded.
The Denver Nuggets are playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA, who eliminated the Phoenix Suns with a 4-0 victory.