BBNBA: Jamal Murray and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander battle
Two of the best Kentucky guards during the John Calipari era; one of the best games of the NBA season.
On Thursday night, Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets squeezed out a 122-110 victory over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. As one of the only two games of the night — and the only contest featuring former ‘Cats — the spotlight was on. Thankfully, the two Kentucky legends didn’t disappoint.
Jamal Murray is officially back
If you were still wondering if Murray’s knee was fully healed, this one was for you. In the win, Murray dropped a season-high 24 points and five rebounds. The 6-foot-3 star’s season highs didn’t stop there. Murray also drained four 3-pointers on six attempts, the most he’s made in a game this season.
Murray’s two-time MVP teammate Nikola Jokic gave his approval after the game.
“He’s better,” Jokic said following the win. “Every game, he’s a little bit better. Even in the practices, he moves a little bit better; he cuts a little bit better; he changes direction a little bit better.”
Murray’s knee seemed to be feeling just fine in the fourth quarter. With just under 11 minutes left in the contest, Murray drove in to score the tying point. Instead of laying it in or throwing up a floater, Murray did what he tends to do so often: something we’ve never seen before.
Murray’s left-handed reverse poster was just the start of his clutch performance. The guard scored 14 points in the final period. When asked what clicked for him after the game, his response was simple.
“Sometimes I get frustrated with my play, and I end up changing it pretty quick. So, today was one of those days,” Murray said.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has another standout performance
While Murray walked away with the win, Gilgeous-Alexander looked like the best player on the court. SGA put up 37 points, three rebounds and four assists in the contest. More impressively, SGA got his points the old-fashioned way.
In the loss, the former SEC Tournament MVP didn’t attempt a single 3-pointer. Instead, SGA went 13-17 from the field and 11-11 from the charity stripe (putting him at 51-52 on the year from the line, or 98.1 percent). The seemingly odd statistic is nothing new for SGA. The 6-foot-6 combo guard didn’t make a 3-pointer in the previous two games, as well.
SGA’s lack of downtown shooting hasn’t stopped him from dominating the league. The Thunder leader is averaging 32.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per outing. Additionally, SGA has the fourth-highest efficiency rating in the league.
Despite never making an All-Star appearance, SGA is at the forefront of the early MVP race. Oklahoma City certainly isn’t taking him for granted.
Murray’s performance helps bring the Nuggets’ record to 5-3 while the Thunder falls to 4-4.
11/3/22 Statistics
| Player | Score | PTS | FG (3PT) | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | MIN | +/- |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | 122-110 L vs. DEN | 37 | 13-17 (0-0) | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 35 | -6 |
| Jamal Murray (DEN) | 122-110 W vs. OKC | 24 | 8-19 (4-6) | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33 | +2 |
Tonight in the NBA
- 7:00: Cavaliers @ Pistons (Diallo, Knox, Noel)
- 7:00: Heat (Adebayo, Herro) @ Pacers (Jackson)
- 7:00: Knicks (Randle, Quickley) @ 76ers (Maxey)
- 7:00: Nets @ Wizards
- 7:30 (ESPN): Bulls @ Celtics
- 8:00: Hornets (Washington, Richards) @ Grizzlies
- 8:00: Clippers (Wall, Boston) @ Spurs (Johnson)
- 8:30: Raptors @ Mavericks
- 8:30: Warriors @ Pelicans
- 10:00 (ESPN): Bucks @ Timberwolves (Towns)
- 10:00: Trailblazers (Sarr-out, Sharpe) @ Suns (Booker)
- 10:30: Jazz (Vanderbilt) @ Lakers (Davis, Gabriel)
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