Jamal Murray put on a show Tuesday night at Ball Arena, reminding everyone exactly why he's the engine that keeps Denver humming-especially when Nikola Jokić isn’t on the floor. In a marquee matchup against the Lakers, Murray lit it up in the first half, giving Los Angeles all they could handle. He was in full command, orchestrating the Nuggets’ offense with a mix of shot-making and savvy playmaking that had the Lakers scrambling.
The highlight of the night? A half-court buzzer-beater that sent the Denver crowd into a frenzy.
It was one of those moments that captures the essence of what makes Murray so dangerous-he’s not just skilled, he’s fearless. By the time the halftime horn sounded, he had already poured in 26 points, and it looked like he might be on his way to one of those special nights.
But credit where it’s due-the Lakers made the right adjustments after the break. Their defense tightened up, throwing different looks at Murray, forcing the ball out of his hands, and making every touch a battle.
While he still finished with an impressive stat line-28 points, 11 assists, 2 rebounds on 10-of-21 shooting including 4-of-8 from deep-the damage he did early wasn’t quite enough to carry Denver across the finish line. The Lakers ultimately pulled away for a 115-107 win.
Still, Murray’s performance didn’t go unnoticed-especially not by LeBron James. The Lakers’ veteran leader had high praise for the Nuggets’ guard after the game, acknowledging Murray’s recent hot streak and his ability to lead Denver through tough stretches without their MVP big man.
“He’s been playing exceptionally well, shooting the ball at a high level, scoring at a high level,” James said postgame. “They’ve been able to stay afloat.
They’ve won some big games without Jokic. I think he’s an all-star player for sure… when he’s on the court, he’s an all-star point guard.”
LeBron’s not wrong. Murray’s been putting up career-best numbers this season-averaging 26.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game-and he’s been the driving force behind Denver’s ability to stay near the top of the Western Conference standings. His leadership and shot creation have helped the Nuggets weather the storm during Jokić’s absences, and his consistency has been a major reason why Denver had climbed to the No. 2 seed in the West.
The latest loss drops them to No. 3, but with Murray playing at this level, Denver remains a serious threat. His ability to take over games, hit tough shots, and make plays for others gives the Nuggets a dynamic edge-especially come playoff time, when half-court execution and big-moment poise become even more valuable.
The bottom line? Jamal Murray is playing like an All-Star, and he’s doing it when his team needs him most.