BBNBA: Jamal Murray's Nuggets outduel Karl-Anthony Towns' Timberwolves
Playoff Jamal Murray is the new Playoff Rajon Rondo. Whatever fuel is required to step up one’s game once the postseason rolls around, Jamal Murray has been chugging it and spiking the empty container on (unfortunately) Karl-Anthony Towns‘ head.
The Denver Nuggets took a commanding 3-0 series lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday with a 120-111 victory in the North Star state. Murray did not have the 40-point outburst he did in Game 2, but he finished with a solid 18 points to go along with nine assists, six rebounds, two steals, and a block.
One of those dimes had some extra flair on it, as he dished a behind-the-back pass to MVP finalist and triple-double extraordinaire, Nikola Jokic, with just two minutes left in the game to put the Nuggets up nine. That is the kind of pass someone pulls out in the 2nd quarter in the first half of the regular season, not during the crunch time of a playoff game. Respect the cajones.
After averaging 20 points per game in the regular season, Murray is now averaging 32 points per game in the playoffs, third most amongst everyone, just behind Kawhi Leonard (34.5) and Kentucky’s own Devin Booker (36.3).
Karl-Anthony Towns’ team lost but it wasn’t due to a lack of contribution on his end. KAT had 27 points and seven boards in 42 minutes of action, but the combination of him and 36 points from Anthony Edwards was not enough to take down the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
I thought the Wolves might overcome their stumble into the playoffs and challenge the Nuggets a bit more but it looks like that will not be the case. Denver will look to bust out the brooms for the sweep on Sunday night.
Randle, Quickley, and the Knicks roll past the Cavaliers in Game 3
Julius Randle did not have his best night, but he didn’t need it for his team to win Game 3 against the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Knicks cruised over the Cavs in a low-scoring affair, 99-79.
Randle shot just 3-15 from the field (2-10 from behind the arc) for a total of 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the win. His only two-point bucket, however, was good enough to make the NBA’s top two finalists for Friday’s Legendary Play of the Day. Randle threw down a monstrous left-handed tomahawk and its impressiveness is now up for voting in an online poll. You know what to do, BBN.
Meanwhile, fresh off being absolutely robbed of the 6th Man of the Year award, Immanuel Quickley put up 11 points of his own on a much more efficient 4-6 from the field and 2-3 from deep. Quickley played just 23 minutes as the Knicks were able to keep their key players fresh going into Game 4 on Sunday while holding a 2-1 series advantage.
4/21/2023 Statistics
| Player | Score | PTS | FG (3PT) | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | MIN | +/- |
| Immanuel Quickley (NYK) | 99-79 W vs. CLE | 11 | 4-6 (2-3) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23 | +27 |
| Julius Randle (NYK) | 99-79 W vs. CLE | 11 | 3-15 (2-10) | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 33 | +19 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) | 111-120 L vs. DEN | 27 | 10-17 (2-4) | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 42 | -10 |
| Jamal Murray (DEN) | 120-111 W vs. MIN | 18 | 7-16 (1-6) | 6 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 38 | +3 |
Today in the NBA
1:00 (TNT): 76ers (Maxey) @ Nets | 76ers lead 3-0
3:30 (TNT): Suns (Booker) @ Clippers (Boston Jr.) | Suns lead 2-1
7:30 (ESPN): Bucks @ Heat (Herro [out], Adebayo) | Series tied 1-1
10:00 (ESPN): Grizzlies @ Lakers (Davis, Vanderbilt, Gabriel) | Series tied 1-1
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