Jamal After the Game of His Life on Jokic: Teams Build Tactics Just for Him, I Think That's Super Impressive! /VIDEO/
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Jamal Murray was the undisputed hero of the victory, delivering one of his career-best performances with an astounding 53 points. The Canadian guard was virtually unstoppable, hitting shots from all over the court, including an impressive 9 three-pointers out of 14 attempts.
Murray stepped up when the game was on the line, and his 19 made field goals frustrated the Dallas defense, which had no answer for his aggression and precision throughout his 41 minutes on the court.
"We got the job done!"
Jamal, tough road game last night, but you guys don't like to make excuses. What did it take to "dig deep" in this game and secure the win?
We just played together, we played fast. We wanted to make the most of this back-to-back and get a win, and I feel like we came out with good energy. We got the job done.
Jamal, on nights like these, you always say you just take what the game gives you. What was the game offering you tonight?
I was hitting some shots and, you know, I just have to keep going. I mean, he was okay with 23, 21, and 19. He just takes what the defense allows him. He plays his game, he doesn't rush. And yeah, I think the most important things are his effort, consistency, and how hard he plays. 21 rebounds – the ball doesn't just come to you every time. He's up against the biggest guy trying to hit him. I'm really impressed with what he's able to do every night.
How did you approach that 16-18 hour period between returning and the start of this game? Did you try to rest your legs as much as possible and catch up on sleep?
Nothing special, really nothing special. We've been through this before. We just met before the game, went over their plays, and went out on the court.
"Opposing teams build their tactics just for him"
Can you describe how impressive it is to have 19 assists and only one turnover?
Yeah, the ball is constantly in his hands. And the fact that he's double-teamed most of the time, yet he's still dishing out passes, reading the game over raised hands... Opposing teams build their tactics just for him, I think that's super impressive. Because it's not just once or twice. It's been going on for four, five, six years. You know, he (Jokic) just keeps getting better at it. Of course, he'll have a game with 10 turnovers sometimes, but you accept that with nights like these. You see how capable he is of orchestrating the offense, keeping the defense on its toes, involving everyone else, and not allowing the opponent easy points. It was, simply put, a very efficient night in every sense.
Jamal, the coach said he was impressed with how you closed out the game when they got within a point. Is that a reflection of the team being healthy now and having more minutes together? How do you view these last two nights and the ability to finish close, wildly entertaining games?
Pure experience. We've been doing this for a long time. Even if we miss a couple of shots in the clutch or something, it doesn't diminish who we are as people and what we've accomplished throughout our lives. It's good to get back on the winning track.
David talked about how one day we'll look back at your time here in Denver. You and Nikola will, in many ways, make history for this Nuggets franchise. When both of you are on fire on the same night, what's it like to play with him and play your game the way you did tonight?
It's great, but it's not just when both of us are playing well. I feel like our chemistry is best when things aren't going our way. Sometimes he has a tough day, so I step up. There are days when I'm not doing what I should, so he takes over. On those days when we're both "in the zone," we use everything that opens up. There's no fighting over the ball, who's going to shoot, or where the ball goes. It's a lot of fun to play like that. I think that's underrated in basketball and in teaching kids – knowing that you'll pass the ball and get it back. It's fun to play this pure form of basketball, regardless of whether we're making or missing shots. I enjoy playing here, I enjoy my time in Denver, and I look forward to what's next.
Jamal, you mentioned how much fun it is. It seemed like you were having fun with the crowd too. When you hit some shots, you "cool" your hand, you hype up the fans... How much does that interaction mean to you when you get on such a roll?
Yeah, it's super fun. When the crowd is yelling at you, and you give it back to them, all that energy in the arena – that's what we want. That's when we're at our best, when the fans are invested, when they know what's going to happen or see what's coming, and then it happens. It's just a great moment, and no one can stop you when you're on that kind of run.
Jamal, you talked about patience, especially with guys returning from injuries, but Peyton Watson gave you a serious boost tonight. What can you say about his play and that contribution off the bench?
I felt in the first game he was just trying to find his rhythm, and he didn't even have to force it. Like tonight – there was no forcing, he just slowed down a bit and showed what he can do. It's nice to see him gradually catching that rhythm. Only two games have passed, so he won't be perfect. But to see him like this, coming off the bench, staying composed and not getting frustrated, it shows he's maturing. It's really nice to see.
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