Top News

Jamal Murray has received two maximum contract extensions from the Denver Nuggets on the strength of his playoff performances. Now for the second season in a row, Murray has laid an egg in an elimination game.

With the Minnesota Timberwolves playing without their top three guards due to injuries, Murray shot 4-of-17 and scored 12 points in a 110-98 loss that sent the No. 3 seed Nuggets home. It’s a dud that may make Denver seriously rethink the partnership of Murray and Nikola Jokic going forward.

Jamal Murray was a liability on both ends of the court in Game 6

It would be one thing if Murray simply struggled to score in Game 6. That’s his primary job, especially as part of a two-man game with Jokic that used to be one of the NBA’s most unstoppable combinations. Players will have bad shooting nights, and Minnesota has one of the NBA’s best defenders in Jaden McDaniels.

But Murray was also targeted by the Timberwolves on defense over and over Thursday night. McDaniels put up 32 points and Terrence Shannon Jr., who didn’t even play in the first three games of the series, scored 24 points. Both players thrived by exploiting Murray’s defense.