Murray shines as Nuggets and Raptors level playoff series

LOS ANGELES: Jamal Murray (pic) scored 34 points, including six clutch free throws down the stretch to lift the Denver Nuggets to a gritty 116-112 NBA playoff win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

The 22-year-old Canadian Murray combined with Serbian Nikola Jokic to form a dynamic scoring duo as the Nuggets squared their second round Western Conference series at two games each.

It was a quick turnaround from the Trail Blazers’ 140-137 quadruple overtime victory in Friday’s game three.

Game four didn’t last nearly as long as that three hour, 35 minute marathon, but it was another backand-forth battle highlighted by Murray’s precision shooting and a fourth playoff triple-double from Jokic.

“The biggest part was mental,” said Murray on playing two playoff games just 40 hours apart.

“We know what to do physically but that was a draining game and we had to come back with energy and face a great team.

“We were able to get what we wanted on offence and the stops on defence.”

Jokic had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for his second straight triple-double and Murray, who led all scorers, was a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line for Denver, who handed Portland their first playoff loss at home this season.

Two free throws by Murray increased the Nuggets’ edge to 112108 with 13 seconds on the clock.

After Damian Lillard scored on a layup with 7.7 seconds remaining, Murray hit a pair of free throws to make it 114-110 with 6.7 seconds to play.

CJ McCollum scored on a long two-point shot to cut it to 114-112 with 4.4 seconds to go, but Murray clinched it with another pair at the line with 3.4 seconds left.

“I love free throws,” said Murray, the son of Jamaican immigrants who moved to Kitchener, Ontario where he was born.

“Everybody knows I love free throws. My team trusts me.”

Elsewhere, Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to propel the Toronto Raptors to a 101-96 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers that knotted their Eastern Conference series at two games apiece.

Spanish centre Marc Gasol added 16 points and Kyle Lowry contributed 14 for the Raptors, who held ailing Sixers center Joel Embiid to 11 points on two-of-seven shooting from the field.

The Raptors will try to seize a series lead when the action shifts back to Toronto for game five today. — AFP