The Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 110-99, sending LA to a 0-4 begin, whereas Nuggets star Jamal Murray performed slightly below 28 minutes – his longest stint this season.
Murray scored 13 factors on 40 % taking pictures from the sector, grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished out 6 assists.
The 25-year-old guard struggled from behind the arc, taking pictures simply 1 of seven however had a monster dunk on a fastbreak within the first quarter.
“I simply walked over to him within the huddle, gave him an enormous hug, and mentioned, `Hey, man, large image. I imagine in you. I really like you. I do know who you’re, and I do know the place you’re going to be sooner or later,”” mentioned Nuggets coach Michael Malone mentioned.
Murray tore his ACL in April 2021 and missed all of final season as a result of harm.
His harm was one among a rash of accidents to plague the NBA in the course of the compressed season after the COVID-19 pandemic ended the common season.
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic nearly had one other triple-double with 31 factors, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists. Jokic is yet another triple-double away from surpassing Wilt Chamberlain for probably the most in NBA historical past as a middle.
4 different Nuggets, Murray, Bruce Brown, Jeff Inexperienced, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, additionally scored in double figures, and Denver bested the Lakers throughout the board in sport stats, together with taking pictures 81 % from the free throw line in comparison with LA’s dismal 68.8 %.
And whereas new coach Darvin Ham had his workforce taking part in protection for the primary time since LA gained the bubble title, the Lakers gave up 35 fastbreak factors.
“We work on our ideas, we watch movie on them, we discuss them on a regular basis. I hate to make use of the altitude as an excuse, and I’m not going to try this however guys gotta be dedicated persistently. They’re a quick workforce. Jokic likes to throw deep, lengthy retailers,” mentioned Ham. “That’s the primary line of protection, your transition protection. We’ll return, have a look at it, and attempt to see what we will repair.”
The Nuggets host the Utah Jazz at residence Friday, and the Lakers journey to Minnesota to try to get their first win of the season.
