Jamal Murray addressed Denver’s 110-87 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, emphasizing effort despite the result. “I’m not going to lie, the energy was there… they’re just bigger than us at the moment,” Murray said, reflecting on a tough back-to-back.
He pointed to Denver’s rebounding as a key factor in the defeat. “The rebounding really hurt us because we could never get back into it… both ends, you know, they shoot the ball, get an opportunity, we shoot the ball and we’re one and done. So we never really gave ourselves a chance to fight back,” he added.
Murray acknowledged the impact of missing Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic, and Jonas Valanciunas. “AG missing obviously hurt tonight. Joke just dominates that team especially on the boards. Big Val would have done the same… It’s tough to gain rebounds every single night, especially with different dynamic guards playing the way they do,” he said.
The point guard also praised Charlotte’s rookie Kon Knueppel. “I love his game… His pace, his poise… He has a paint game off the dribble. He’s going to be really good. I’m really excited to see how he develops over the next few years,” Murray remarked.
Murray offered insight on Charlotte’s depth and versatility. “They have a lot of different weapons at different positions… Doesn’t just have to be LaMelo. It could be Bridges and LaMelo. It could be Brandon Miller on ISO… Sexton, Pat Connaughton, they bring the same type of energy. They have a solid squad,” he said.
He highlighted Julian Strawther’s performance despite recent struggles. “It’s been a tough go for Julian for a little season… He’s consistent in his work. Today was a good get-up-the-whole-game for him… He basically was our leading scorer,” Murray said.
On how the Nuggets can move forward, Murray focused on recovery and preparation. “Flushed. There’s not much we could do about it… We felt undersized, undermanned the whole game. Take the rest and refocus for a really good LA team,” he added.
Sunday’s game saw Charlotte pull ahead quickly, building a 29-11 lead and reaching 60-34 at halftime. Brandon Miller scored 18 in the first half on his way to 23 points, while Tidjane Salaun added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Ryan Kalkbrenner contributed 17 points and six rebounds for the Hornets, and Collin Sexton chipped in 14 points and five assists.
Denver, playing without five of its top eight scorers including Jokic, Gordon, and Valanciunas, struggled to match the Hornets’ size and energy. The Nuggets fall to 29-14, while Charlotte improves to 16-27. Charlotte hosts Cleveland on Wednesday, and Denver welcomes the Lakers on Tuesday.
