{"id":566326,"date":"2026-01-28T13:46:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T13:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/566326\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T13:46:40","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T13:46:40","slug":"jamal-murray-shoulders-blame-after-detroit-pistons-defeat-denver-nuggets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/566326\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamal Murray shoulders blame after Detroit Pistons defeat Denver Nuggets"},"content":{"rendered":"

The right guy was at the line with the game on the line, but it went wrong for the Nuggets.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur best free-throw shooter, one of the best free-throw shooters I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d Nuggets coach David Adelman said of Jamal Murray after his team\u2019s 109-107 loss to the Pistons on Tuesday at Ball Arena.<\/p>\n

Denver trailed by three when Jamal Murray drew a three-shot foul with four seconds left. Murray missed the first one and made the next two before Denver was forced to foul Tobias Harris with two seconds left. Harris made both to get the lead back to three only for Javonte Green to foul Murray behind the arc again with 0.7 seconds left. This time, Murray made the first and missed the second. He had to miss the third intentionally to give the Nuggets a chance to tie the game, and Detroit tipped the ball out to the perimeter to run off the remainder of the clock.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just got to be better. I had a golden opportunity there twice, once to redeem myself,\u201d Murray said. \u201cIt just wasn\u2019t my night. I\u2019ve just got to be better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DenverDenver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, left, passes the ball as Detroit Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins and center Jalen Duren defend in the second half of an NBA game Tuesday in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/p>\n

Murray finished with a team-high 24 points to go with 10 assists against two turnovers with five rebounds and a block in 39 minutes of playing time. He made 7 of 18 shots and finished 10 of 15 from the line but wasn\u2019t pleased with the way he played for most of the game. He scored all three of his first-quarter points off free throws and was 1 of 8 from the field with five points at halftime.<\/p>\n

In the final four minutes, Murray scored or assisted on 14 consecutive Nuggets points to bring the Nuggets within a point with 41 seconds left.<\/p>\n

\u201cI gotta do something. I just did something,\u201d Murray said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes you\u2019ve just got to will the ball in. You\u2019ve got to force yourself to put the ball in the hoop, gotta get in that mode for a second.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and 16 rebounds, while Bruce Brown (16), Tim Hardaway Jr. (14), Peyton Watson (13) and Spencer Jones (12) also scored in double figures for Denver.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen, I missed a free throw,\u201d Valanciunas said, taking some of the blame off Murray. \u201cA lot of guys missed a lot of free throws. I missed an easy bunny under the basket. It\u2019s on all of us. When we win, we all win. When we lose, we all lose.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris paced the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons with 22 points apiece. Harris hit a couple of clutch free throws that put Detroit up by three with a couple of seconds left. Murray, a career 87% free-throw shooter who is shooting nearly 90% this season, couldn\u2019t do the same with the game on the line.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope he shoots them again the next game, because he\u2019s a great free-throw shooter. He\u2019s made some of the biggest free throws in the history of this franchise,\u201d Adelman said. \u201cTonight was one of those nights. We play 82 (games) for a reason. Things happen that don\u2019t usually happen, so it\u2019s just one of those things.\u201d<\/p>\n

PISTONS 109, NUGGETS 107<\/p>\n

What happened: Denver trailed by as many as 18 in the first half but cut the deficit to 52-46 by halftime. Detroit got the lead back to 10 to start the fourth quarter and dropped Denver to 31-16.<\/p>\n

What went right: The Nuggets scored 35 points in the fourth quarter to get back into the game. Jamal Murray had 12 of his 24 points and four of his 10 assists in the final 12 minutes.<\/p>\n

What went wrong: Denver finished the first half with more turnovers (10) than assists (nine). The Pistons finished with a 20-10 advantage in points off turnovers.<\/p>\n

Highlight of the night: Bruce Brown had a couple of impressive three-point plays that kept the Nuggets competitive early in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n

Up next: Denver\u2019s four-game homestand continues Thursday against Michael Porter Jr. and the Nets.<\/p>\n


\n
\n
\n <\/a>
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/a>
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/a>
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/a>
\n
\n
\n
\n <\/a>
\n <\/p>\n