Lake Buena Vista, Fla. – If Jamal Murray was going to add another comeback victory in the season after the Denver Nuggets dream, he was going to go through LeBron James.
With more than five minutes left in the fourth quarter on Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers are sticking to a four-point lead over James – whose eldest son, 15-year-old LeBron James Jr. – is close to 23 years old. – The same Murray of the year than him – turned on Nuggets supernova.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel said of the 35-year-old James after the Lakers’ 114-108 win that Labro had asked for the assignment, and I approved it, saying the LBA had a win in the final. Western Conference Final 3-1.
Murray, who scored 28 points in 12-for-17 shooting at the time, helped the Lakers take a 12-point lead in a two-possession game, giving them a chance to steal Game 4 and advance the series.
James had other ideas. He was the only Laker to defend Murray in clutch time – when the final five minutes of the game were defined when the point difference was five or less – and he was caught in 0-for-2 shooting.
Murray had four points in the final five minutes, but he came to the free throw line.
“I knew he was winning the time, and Jamal was running his,” James said of his decision to defend him.
With 5:21 on the clock, James raised Murray’s crowd to the top of the key, and Nuggets’ point guard Nirila Jokic’s entry pass was stolen by Markif Morris.
Still trailing four after a few possessions, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Murray went down the middle of the alley with a 6-foot-9, 250-pound James attached to his hip and missed the layout twice. Catch his release to try to avoid James’s contest to go 3:46.
And with 2:56 left, now just three points down, Murray turned on James again and missed again, as the Lakers star closed both hands on Murray later to swallow any air space.
James – who finished with 26 points, 9 rebounds and 8 ass ass Rena with 32 points, 3 rebounds and 8 dimes – Murray got better, the Denver Guard earned James’s respect.
“The baby is special,” James said. “He has an array of shots. From three threats, even in midrange and paint. For me, he’s just trusting my defensive keys. He’s trusting my study of the film. He’s trusting the staff. And living with the results . “
“I told my teammates I had it and everyone else could stay on the open and stay at home. I was able to get a few stops, and we were able to restart the basketball rebel, which is the most important thing.”
James, a 17-year-old P., came into the game with a post-career average of 34.4 minutes in the playoffs as Vogel tried to manage his legs.
On Thursday, James played a 38-minute game and said he had plenty ready for his matchup with Murray.
James said, ‘I have no energy reserves. “I’m on the floor, I give everything I get. I want a break if I need a break. The coach has done a good job of getting me out during the game. I don’t see it. It’s like a reserve tank when I’m on the floor. I have got a very good energy release when I am on.
“It’s time to win and I don’t have a chance or time to get tired. I’m tired now. When I’m tired, when it’s zero on the clock. When I’m tired. I’m not. Tired during the game.”
According to Second Spectrum data, James defended Murray 11 times in Game 4, after matching him seven times in half-court through the first three games of the series.
Murray said James’ presence was like a purple-gold equivalent for him.
“When I look at LeBron, I do the same stuff when I look [Alex] Caruso and the same stuff when I look [Rajon] Rondo and K.C.P. [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope] And the poet [Leonard] And P.G. [Paul George] And stomach [Beverley] And Royce [O’Neale]”This postseason is what he defended,” he said. I do the same. So I appreciate the respect, but we just won this game. “
Anthony Davis, the Lakers’ big man, said that the victory in sight was what motivated James to move forward in a situation similar to the one he found in Game 4.
“I think he just likes the challenges, honestly, especially the late game.” Davis said. “As much as I defend the best big, he wants to defend the best perimeter player and face the challenge. He did the last series with James Harden. He wants to face those challenges and make them score over it. That’s it. A great defensive player. We believe he protects the people and ends them on LeBron James. He did a hell of a job on Jamal Murray. “
Indeed, James ’success on Murray reflected defensive production, he has shown all the postseason. These playoffs with Murray, Harden, Russell Westbrook and Damien Lillard as their closest defenders along with James have hit 14-for-38 (36.8%) off the field, according to the second spectrum. And James tightens the screw – to borrow the favorite Vogel phrase – much later, as he shot 28-25 (25%) when opponents fought a shot in the fourth quarter / overtime this postseason, 25k by any player. So the lowest percentage allowed to defend more.
“He did a great job trying to accommodate them one by one,” Vogel said. “Murray had a great night. Nothing really worked in terms of trying to slow him down until LeBron took the assignment. The ball of the game, I think for that move.”
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