Game 2 between Denver and the Clippers had its basketball moments, sure—but halfway through the third, it veered straight into chaos. It all began when Norman Powell gave Jamal Murray a little bump on the wing. Not exactly a full-body check, but just enough to send a message. You could see it bothered Murray. A few possessions later, James Harden swung the ball back to Powell, and that’s when things escalated—fast.
Instead of contesting the play, Murray went straight WWE on him. He grabbed Powell, held on tight even after the whistle, then literally lifted him off the ground. I’m talking full-body lift, like he was trying out for a suplex or something. It felt like a flashback to when Steven Adams manhandled Tony Bradley. Seriously, this wasn’t your average “playoff foul.”
That moment flipped a switch. Christian Braun sprinted in to defend Murray like it was a tag team match. Kris Dunn jumped in just as quickly to make sure Powell wasn’t surrounded. The tension went through the roof. Then Powell, still fired up, shoved Braun with no hesitation. Officials took their time reviewing it all. In the end, Murray only got called for the foul. Meanwhile, Powell, Dunn, and Braun were each slapped with technicals.
When asked about the physical nature of the game and his interaction with Powell, Murray made it clear that there was no personal animosity involved: “Just competing man, I have nothing against Norman man. He has nothing against me. We’re just competing, and we got into it for a second. Well, we’re good, though.”
Feb 22, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) handles the ball as he is defended by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the second half at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Despite the intensity on the court, Murray emphasized that these moments are part of the game, and they’re not out of the ordinary for playoff basketball. “No, I mean, any series. If you go, you can look at any basketball that has been played in the playoffs. It’s gonna be like that,” Murray explained. “Like I said, we have nothing against each other. We respect each other, and we just didn’t like what we both did on the court. And that’s fair.”
Murray’s response highlights the competitive spirit that often takes over in high-stakes games, with both players simply caught up in the moment. But the scuffle wasn’t the only surprise involving Murray in Game 2.
Right before tipoff, fans noticed something unusual: the Nuggets guard hit the floor wearing long sleeves under his jersey—a look that immediately had people raising eyebrows. He looked fine in Game 1, and there was no hint of an injury on the pregame report. So naturally, folks started asking questions. According to TNT’s broadcast, Murray was battling an undisclosed illness, which hadn’t been made public before the game.
When asked directly about it post-game, Murray didn’t deny it. In fact, he confirmed what many had been speculating: “I played through it. It was cool. I’m sick, but it’s okay, no excuses. I played through it.”
The fact that he didn’t mention it earlier—and only addressed it after the game—just adds another layer to the gritty performance he put on. Even while sick, Murray suited up and competed like usual, keeping the sleeves on and the excuses off. But not every Nugget delivered under pressure—and that’s where the problems began.
Jamal Murray gets torched by Kawhi Leonard as the Clippers tie the series
Denver had chances—real chances—to steal Game 2. But when the pressure hit, they flinched. If this series slips away, fans will replay Gordon’s blown dunk, Porter’s wild outlet pass, and Adelman holding that last timeout like it was gold. All of it fed into a gut-punch 105-102 loss that now sends them to L.A. tied.
Jokic dropped a triple-double, but didn’t really wake up till the third quarter. Up until then? Just a bunch of threes and a transition dunk. He even rocked a shooting sleeve on that elbow again—clearly not feeling 100%. Murray chipped in 23 quietly, still rocking the long sleeves, while MPJ grabbed a double-double but stayed on the fringe.
Oct 26, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) gestures ahead of guard Russell Westbrook (4) in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
The real headline? Kawhi Leonard. The man looked like his 2019 self. He shot 15-of-19, torched Murray on switches, and buried a dagger three to end the half. Father Time? Might’ve hit snooze. Christian Braun and Jokic had decent looks to tie it late, but neither connected.
Transitioning into all this mess, Denver’s fast-break game actually looked sharper, with 16 early points. Porter hustled, but his miscues still stung. Before the game, Adelman basically told him: Show up on defense or take a seat.
Against a locked-in Kawhi, though? Those little errors add up fast. And yeah, that margin for error? Long gone.
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