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Murray's FT dominance irks Wolves, lifts Nuggets
TL;DR
Jamal Murray scored 30 points and set a franchise record by making all 16 free throw attempts in the Nuggets' 116-105 win over the Timberwolves in Game 1 of the playoffs. The victory gives Denver a 1-0 lead in the series.
Key points
- Jamal Murray scored 30 points in the game
- Murray made all 16 free throw attempts
- Nuggets shot 30 of 33 from the free throw line
- Denver leads the series 1-0
- Nuggets have a strong record in series openers since 2023
Jamal MurrayDenver NuggetsMinnesota TimberwolvesNBA Playoffs
DENVER -- Jamal Murray has established himself as an elite playoff performer since the Denver Nuggets' title window began in 2023, but his best moments have generally come late in games with clutch shot-making.
In Saturday night's 116-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series, Murray was devastating from the free throw line, making all 16 of his attempts to break a franchise record, on his way to a game-high 30 points.
"I thought I got fouled on every single one of them," Murray said afterward. "I don't know what everybody's talking about. [They were] real fouls."
The Nuggets made 30 of their 33 free throws on the day, which was critical because they shot 1-for-17 behind the 3-point arc in the second half and easily could've given back all of the 15-point lead they'd built up in the third quarter.
Instead, Denver held on for a gritty win at home to take a 1-0 lead in the series, the eighth time they've taken a lead in nine series openers since 2023. Denver went on to win six of the seven previous series in which they took Game 1.
In a rivalry that has been as close as Nuggets vs. Timberwolves -- the teams have played each other more times the past three years than any other two teams in the league -- every edge matters. After taking Game 1, Denver holds a 15-14 record against Minnesota in the regular season and playoffs since 2023.
That past has served as a fascinating prologue for this series, which both sides expect to be a taut battle once again.
"The first game everybody's got so much adrenaline," Murray said. "Everybody's excited. Everybody's a little bit nervous. Some butterflies, which is human. I go back and I look at all my Game 1s that I've played and I just remember having so much energy. I remember we played the San Antonio Spurs one year. I got to steal first play of the game and I pulled up from the logo. I was like, 'I'm just so excited.'
"So I just found over the years, just being able to relax and just play another game and knowing that I'm going to play most of the game. I'm not going to have to look or hunt shots, the game's just going to come to me. So it's a different mindset. I think that allows me to make every free throw or just play at my pace."
That mindset has helped Murray to his finest, most consistent individual season, averaging a career high in points, rebounds, assists and 3-point field goal percentage. He ranked second in total clutch-time points this season and was the only player to average 25 points and seven assists and shoot 40 percent this season.
Q&A
What record did Jamal Murray set during the game against the Timberwolves?
Jamal Murray set a franchise record by making all 16 of his free throw attempts.
How many points did the Nuggets score against the Timberwolves in Game 1?
The Nuggets scored 116 points in their Game 1 victory over the Timberwolves.
What was the Nuggets' free throw percentage in the game against the Timberwolves?
The Nuggets made 30 of their 33 free throws, resulting in a free throw percentage of approximately 90.9%.
What is the significance of the Nuggets winning Game 1 of the series?
Winning Game 1 is significant as the Nuggets have gone on to win six of the seven previous series in which they took Game 1.
