Murray shines as Nuggets take Game 5, 117-107

Down 3-1, the Denver Nuggets’ season was on the line Tuesday night as they played Game 5 of their first-round playoff series with the Utah Jazz.

Despite being upgraded to “questionable” on the injury report Monday, Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris missed Tuesday’s game with a nagging hip injury, marking the 13th straight game he has been out for Denver.

His defensive pressure continuing to be missed, the Utah Jazz opened the first quarter of Game 5 with a 16-6 run (which included four straight three-pointers) before the Nuggets took a timeout with 8:43 remaining. However, out of the timeout, Nikola Jokic scored 13 straight points for the Nuggets and a Michael Porter Jr. three-pointer brought Denver within two (24-22) with 3:31 remaining.

A graceful last-second heave by Jokic gave Denver a one-point lead (33-32), and simultaneously capped off a perfect quarter from the Serbian center, who finished the period with 21 points on 8-8 shooting.

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Utah started the second quarter strong as well, going on an 11-6 run and taking a 43-39 lead before the Nuggets took another timeout with 6:51 remaining. But as the second quarter buzzer sounded, Jamal Murray got Utah’s Juwan Morgan to bite on a fake, drawing a foul and converting both free-throws as Denver got within nine (63-54) entering the break.

Jokic carried the load offensively for Denver in the first half, scoring 23 points while shooting 9-13 from the field, while the rest of the Nuggets’ starters combined for just 15 points on 4-16 shooting. Jazz star Donovan Mitchell scored 13 points in the first half and sixth man Jordan Clarkson totaled 14 points off Utah’s bench.

Utah began the second half on a 8-2 run, with the familiar third quarter trend allowing Utah to amass a 71-56 lead with 9:43 remaining before Denver took their first timeout of the quarter. Fortunately for the Nuggets, after the timeout, they brought the game within single-digits (74-65) following a 9-3 run.

Murray — picking up where Jokic left off — scored 8 straight points for Denver to bring them within 8 points (84-76), forcing the Jazz took a timeout with 2:18 remaining. The Nuggets got within 6 points (86-82) as Murray continued to will Denver until the third quarter buzzer sounded.

The Nuggets got out on a 10-4 run to begin the fourth quarter, subsequently taking a 2-point lead (92-90) with 8:33 remaining before the Jazz took a timeout.

After a Mitchell dunk that knotted the game at 96, a Jerami Grant 3-pointer gave Denver a three-point lead (101-98) three possessions later. Utah, refusing to roll over, got the game within one point (101-100) with 4:48 remaining after Mike Conley converted an and-one layup.

Murray then made a heads-up play following a great contest on a Grant dunk attempt, realizing the ball never hit the rim, grabbing the offensive rebound and knocking down an 18-foot jumper to give the Nuggets a two-point lead (103-101).

Fully in takeover mode, Murray then scored 7 straight points for Denver, giving the Nuggets a 110-101 advantage with 1:20 remaining in the contest. The Jazz did get within 6 points following scores from Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, but the Nuggets held off a late push from the Jazz and won Game 5 (117-107).

Murray had yet another phenomenal performance, finishing the game with 42 points and eight assists, and becoming the first player in NBA history to have consecutive playoff games with over 40 points and 0 turnovers.

Jokic totaled 31 points and six rebounds in the game and Porter Jr. added 15 points and five rebounds off the Nuggets’ bench.

Following Game 4’s loss, Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone said the series was not over and that Denver needed to take this series one game at a time.

While the Nuggets are still down 3-2, coming back is not out of the realm of possibility. Two more herculean efforts from Murray and Jokic, plus the potential return of Harris could put the Nuggets in great position to win this series.

But it all starts with Game 6, which is slated to tip off on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 4 p.m. EST.