Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray saved his team's season on Tuesday, as the sharpshooter scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to help Denver erase a double-digit deficit and defeat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2.
Murray obviously has his elite basketball skills to thank for his epic performance, but the youngster also has to thank head coach Michael Malone.
At halftime, the Nuggets were down 10 and Murray was struggling. The 22-year-old's body language was bad and Malone could see it from a mile away.
That's when the 48-year-old coach went up to Murray and told him to just relax and take a deep breath.
“He was so frustrated at halftime at not making shots, shots he’s made his whole career,” Malone said, via Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. “I just grabbed him and said, ‘Listen, take a breath. You’re putting too much pressure on yourself. Every shot right now is like the end of the world. You know what? I believe in you. I love you. Just go out there and play.' “
Murray finished Game 2 with 24 points in 36 minutes. He shot 8-of-17 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and was unstoppable in the fourth quarter.
Malone could have benched Murray after his rough first half, but after the game, he said that he didn't do it because he wanted to show Murray he believed in him.
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