Jamal Murray’s dagger ending Lakers’ valiant effort without LeBron James and Luka Doncic has fans shocked: “Bro hates this team!”

Nuggets star Jamal Murray reminds the Lakers fanbase of his importance after he scored a game-winning basket at the Ball Arena.

Jamal Murray’s dagger ending Lakers’ valiant effort without LeBron James and Luka Doncic has fans shocked: “Bro hates this team!”

LeBron James and Jamal Murray

The Denver Nuggets crushed the Los Angeles Lakers 131-126 in a match determined by Jamal Murray, a player who has previously caused issues for L.A. The Lakers were missing starters Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Jaxson Hayes, along with bench players Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith, on Friday.

Along with the game-winning basket, Jamal Murray finished with 26 points. Also, Nikola Jokic maintained his MVP performance with 28 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Notably, the Nuggets had a double-digit lead in the 3rd quarter. However, the Lakers came back to tie the score late in the 4th quarter with the help of their main star for the day, Austin Reaves.

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Reaves was the lone remaining healthy Lakers starter. He responded as he did in previous games when their stars were out. He finished with 37 points (13-of-26 shooting), 13 assists, eight rebounds, and four steals.

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His first-half performance was so good that he entered an elite list. Reaves became only the second player in the team’s history to have at least 20 points and 10 assists in one half. The only previous Laker to achieve this distinction was the late icon, Kobe Bryant.

Nevertheless, Murray decided the game because both sides were in a deadlock with seconds remaining on the clock. Fans showcased their appreciation for the Nuggets star on social media, leaving them in awe of his show. One post on X read, “Bro HATES this team.” The Nuggets are second in the West and look solid in their bid to qualify for the NBA Playoffs this season.

As for the Lakers, they ruled Doncic out before the match because of “left calf injury management” and a right ankle sprain. The Lakers have now lost four consecutive games after capturing eight straight and are 14 of 16. Three of the four consecutive losses came without James, who is still sidelined with a groin issue.

Russell Westbrook gets more vengeance against the Lakers at the Ball Arena

A player Lakers fans would remember the most at the Ball Arena is Russell Westbrook. Westbrook made an inbounds steal on a feed to Reaves, securing the Nuggets’ 131-126 triumph. Some would say he got his revenge for the way he was treated back at the Lakers franchise. Westbrook faced immense criticism for his stint at the Lakers and fell out with LeBron James as well.

Westbrook concluded the night with 17 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and the game-winning interception off Shake Milton‘s inbound pass after Jamal Murray scored the game-winning 3-pointer. While Westbrook’s scoring attempts did not match his excellent first-half performance, he continues to have an impact on the match from the box score and beyond.

It’s important to note that Westbrook’s 300th rebound of the season came when he posted his fourth of the contest. This achievement cemented Westbrook’s legacy, as he now has at least 300 rebounds in 16 seasons. According to Basketball Reference’s StatHead, that equals Hall of Famer Jason Kidd for the most seasons running by a point guard in NBA history.

Going up against his former team, the Lakers, where he had ups and downs, getting the final steal was the icing on the cake. Westbrook will have an additional opportunity to face the Lakers this season when the two teams meet next week on Wednesday on ESPN.