Jamal Murray takes games against Canada’s team seriously. As a Canadian through and through, Murray wants to do well against the Toronto Raptors but has historically had some poor performances against them. But he’s turning that around this year, with 21 points and 8 assists in his first go-round this year and then tonight’s effort of 19 points – 15 in the fourth quarter – to overcome a slow start and sweep the season series against Toronto.
That fourth quarter was a wonderful turnaround itself. They say shooters shoot themselves out of slumps, and Murray rained down fire in the fourth after an innocuous first three frames in which Jokic carried water for the team.
But it was Murray that brought them home. The Blue Arrow broke a 1-for-8 streak to start the fourth quarter with a floater, then hit a three and never looked back as Denver pulled away for the win.
And his quote after the game? “We’re not satisfied right now.” Murray and the Nuggets have bigger ambitions than short-handed December victories over a talented but also-injured squad, but these are the games that lay the foundation for future success. Murray started off building that foundation one brick at a time, but by the end of the game everything was nylon. On to the next!
