Reporter Considers Denver Duo Most Fearsome Playoff Twosome Since Hall Of Fame Laker Pair
Denver #Denver
The Denver Nuggets are set to face off against the Miami Heat in the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance on Thursday evening and Laker fans were personally introduced to a dynamic duo that ply their trade in the Mile High City.
Surely, Nikola Jokic was a well known name already, having one back-to-back MVP’s and contending for a third straight in 2023. But it was a duo of both Jokic and Jamal Murray that truly spelled doom for the Lakers.
Jokic was dominant all series for Denver, most notably in Game 1 when he had an absurd line of 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists, rendering a usually strong Laker defense helpless when he was able to beat them in transition.
Murray has always been a good NBA player since he came into the league in 2016. but has been hampered with injuries at times, including an Achilles injury that wiped out last season.
In the series against the Lakers, Murray went off for an average of 32.5 points per game on an incredible 52 percent shooting — including a 40 percent mark from deep.
All of that led ESPN NBA analyst Kirk Goldsberry to heap some high praise on the two-time MVP and the budding superstar, invoking a couple of names that Laker fans may just be familiar with.
“It’s tempting to call the Jokic-Murray combo the best duo we’ve seen since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.”
(Via NBA On ESPN)
Yes, Goldsberry said Kobe and Shaq, two men that are in the Basketball Hall of Fame and will forever be in Laker lore.
But with the way Jokic and Murray each tore the Lakers apart, they could be worthy of that comparison.
I’ve certainly never seen a playoff performance like that in a very long time, and with Jokic and Murray at the height of their powers, the Nuggets are riding high into The Finals.
Game 1 begins Thursday evening at 5:30 PM PT, and if those two have a repeat performance, the Nuggets could very well be hoisting the franchise’s first Larry O’Brien trophy later this month.