It’s been a tough couple of years for Nuggets star point guard Jamal Murray, but Monday night’s NBA title makes it all worth it.
Murray tore his ACL at the end of the 2020–21 season and missed all of last season due to the recovery from the injury. Back and better than ever this season, Murray was key in guiding the Nuggets to their first-ever NBA title. He scored 14 points and added eight rebounds and eight assists in Game 5 on Monday.
He spoke with ESPN’s Lisa Salters after the game about what it meant to reach the mountaintop after overcoming the adversity stemming from the devastating knee injury he suffered two years ago.
“It’s just an amazing feeling, you know?” Murray said as he was overcome with emotion and received thunderous applause from the home crowd in Denver. “Blood, sweat and tears to get back to this point. Everybody on my team in here, everybody on the floor believed in me. Believed in me to get back to myself. We proved a lot of doubters wrong.”
"Everybody on this floor believed in me. ...believed in me to get back to myself."
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 13, 2023
It's been a journey for Jamal Murray ❤️ pic.twitter.com/N76LVkgBJ1
NBA fans loved the interview, as Murray’s return the floor was an inspiration to his team, and his play helped pace Denver on its championship run.
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Here are some of the best reactions to Murray’s postgame interview from NBA Twitter.
The team stuck with him through injury and it paid off. Congrats @BeMore27 !!
— Keisha W. (@Taurus510W) June 13, 2023
this guy deserves it more than anybody
— Franco (@chisinthiko) June 13, 2023
Klay knows the feeling -been away from the game for 2 seasons and to overcome injuries to now an NBA champion …congrats to Murray a well deserved win 🎉 pic.twitter.com/QYUAn3CbWs
— Honii Monroe (@angel4everyurs2) June 13, 2023
There’s nothing greater than sports in this world!! https://t.co/qM5lvGYUF8
— Randy Del Valle (@Randy_DelValle) June 13, 2023
The pure joy in his eyes man im so glad we stuck with him through the injury https://t.co/8iIGzUzDar
— Eazzy (@EazzyOnKick) June 13, 2023