INDIANAPOLIS — Denver guard Jamal Murray was listed as questionable just a few hours before the Nuggets' game Wednesday night against Indiana.
By tip-off, he left nothing to chance.
Just two nights after spraining his right ankle, Murray delivered one of the NBA's most-efficient performances all season. He made 19 of 25 shots, including an incredible 10 of 11 on 3-pointers, to finish with a season-high 52 points in a 135-120 victory over the defending Eastern Conference champs.
“Keep shooting,” Murray said when asked what went through his mind as the shots continued to fall. “You've been doing this so long, there's no need to oversimplify. Just playing, having fun, playing, having fun.”
Murray was in such a groove, he even took a moment to sign an autograph — during the game.
And he wasn't the only enjoying the show.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver got a first-hand glimpse at what Nuggets coach David Adelman described as one of the most efficient 50-point games in recent memory. Teammate Bruce Brown, who is back with Denver where he won an NBA title, said Murray's shooting made his job easier.
“Just give him the ball,” Brown said he was thinking. “Get out of the, go to the corner. If he need me, I'll be open, but I'll give it right back to him and just let him work.”
Murray's shots fell from everywhere — deep, deep 3s, midrange shots, even baskets in the paint. post. One that even hit the front of the rim and looked like it would bounce off for a rare miss instead bounced above the rim and fell through the net as the Pacers had rallied from a 29-point deficit to get within striking distance in the fourth quarter.
The only thing that he really missed was matching his career high of 55 points that he had at Portland in February.
It was that kind of night and it's been that kind of season for Murray and the NBA's highest scoring team. Aaron Gordon scored 50 points in October's season-opening loss, Nikola dropped 55 in a November win over the Los Angeles Clippers and now Murray had 52 on a night the Nuggets fell one point short of their season-high in a 139-136 loss to San Antonio on Nov. 28.
The difference in winning this one Murray believes was, ironically, defense.
“For me, the defense fuels the offense,” he said. “I know when we're in half court, we execute well, we share the ball. We're unselfish, we cut, we move, make shots. I think the difference with us is when we play defense we can add to that and, on the other hand, stop the other team from scoring.”
Murray didn't just have fun scoring. He also finished with six rebounds and four assists.
Not bad for a guy who Adelman wanted to see go through pregame warmups before declaring him available to play. But Murray never doubted he'd be out there to help his team.
“It felt pretty good, honestly,” he said. “We did a lot of treatment going into the game today and it felt good. Maybe a little sore at the end of the first quarter, but it was nothing I couldn't handle.”
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