The Los Angeles Lakers will be motivated to pick up a win in Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets after the recent news of Jamal Murray being listed as questionable due to a calf strain.
"Jamal Murray has a left calf strain. He’s officially listed as questionable for tomorrow’s Game 5."
Nuggets injury news: Jamal Murray has a left calf strain. He’s officially listed as questionable for tomorrow’s Game 5.
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) April 28, 2024
This news has prompted Lakers fans to start celebrating the possibility of a series comeback.
No Murray tomorrow gives us a real chance to win in 7 idc
— Te’ (@TeTheGamer) April 28, 2024
More fasn came out saying the Lakers would win in seben games.
No Murray tomorrow and game 6 in La?don’t forget game 7 Lebron too?lakeshow in 7
— RacistCommunist (@Jordanooo17) April 28, 2024
More fans think the Lakers can at least compete harder for a series comeback.
Lakers chances of making this a series is getting bigger by the minute
— Eddie (@kameidotrading) April 28, 2024
Some fans think the Murray news is fake so that the Lakers are tactically outmatched when he does play in Game 5.
Jamal Murray ain’t hurt pic.twitter.com/0ypBIaXfQg
— HotBoyHayes (@ChristianThayes) April 28, 2024
Nuggets fans were upset that the team didn't sweep them before this news came out.
Should’ve handled business yesterday but nope they want to keep playing with their food ♀️
— Vane_Xo (@vanessa_jjX) April 28, 2024
One nuggets fan even suggested that this is an intentional move to safeguard Murray until the second round.
Rest him for the wolves ♀️
— Sarahh (@Winxxxjonas) April 28, 2024
If the Lakers were to pull off a comeback after being down 0-3 in a series, they'd be the first team in NBA history to do it. There's a reason no other team has ever done it, as it's arguably one of the hardest postseason feats we've ever seen.
Teams sweep other teams and teams even make 3-1 comeback, as both LeBron James and Nikola Jokic are aware of. However, nobody has ever made a 0-3 comeback.
Jamal Murray is averaging 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 7.3 assists in this first-round series. Losing him for even a game could impact the Nuggets' offense in the playoffs, especially in the fourth quarter. Hopefully, Reggie Jackson is up to the task as he has been in times when he's called upon.
The Lakers have been careful in discussing this series with the media. They've led for over 1,000 minutes across four games and have just one win to show for it. The franchise can't get ahead of itself and plan for a second-round series at this moment, but LeBron James has made it clear that the team will fight every game.
"The only opportunity for us is to play the next game and give ourselves another lifeline. It's a one-game series for us. Monday's game is the most important game of the season for us and we know that. We know that. If you lose you're done, if you win you keep going. So, it's not much to talk about.
He reiterated that the Lakers need to win on Monday.
"We won this game and that was most important and now we gotta start focusing on the next one. We wanna try to play good basketball and focus on the next task, focus on Monday's game, and see what happens."
If the Lakers manage to make this a six-game series, the Nuggets will feel uncomfortable given the history of these teams. We pray Murray remains healthy, as it's been amazing to watch these two teams take on each other at full strength.
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