Nuggets’ David Adelman applauds ‘mentally tough’ Jamal Murray

Murray paced the Nuggets with 27 points on just 19 shots, scoring efficiently at the rim and knocking down his signature mid-range jumpers. He held his own defensively too, even as the Thunder repeatedly targeted him in switches against league-leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The 28-year-old dropped 21 points in Denver’s Game 1 win, then was limited to 14 in the blowout loss in Game 2. But in Game 3, with the spotlight back on him, Murray reclaimed his role as the Nuggets’ clear second option.

Jamal Murray leading the Nuggets in place of Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic managed a measly 20 points on 25 attempts and posted an uncharacteristic eight turnovers to go with six assists. Christian Braun drew the assignment on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was held to 18 points on 22 shots. Meanwhile, Jalen Williams carried the Thunder offense with a game-high 32 points on 11-of-21 from the field.

Denver had a chance to close it out in regulation after stopping Gilgeous-Alexander and using a timeout with 2.7 seconds left. Jokic slipped the screen and got a clean look from the corner, but his three-pointer came up just long, sending the game into overtime. He ended the night without a make from deep, going 0-for-10 from three.

No play from Murray loomed larger than his clutch steal on Jalen Williams and the fast-break layup that put Denver up by seven with three minutes left in overtime. He’s been trailed closely by Luguentz Dort all series, but found more openings on Friday than he had in Games 1 and 2.

Dort fouled out in the extra session, and Oklahoma City was minus-seven in his 34 minutes. The Nuggets were more effective at clearing space with screens to neutralize the physical 6-foot-4, 220-pound defender.

Murray and Michael Porter Jr.’s shot-making proved crucial in keeping Denver competitive. The Thunder dominated the paint, outscoring the Nuggets 34-12 in the first half and finishing with a 56-32 advantage inside. However, Denver made up the difference with a 21-point edge from beyond the arc, shooting 16-for-40 compared to Oklahoma City’s 9-for-35.

Aaron Gordon nailed a timely three to tie the game late in regulation and followed it up with a fadeaway that sealed the win. Gordon finished with 22 points, while Porter, who hit his first four threes, ended with 21.