By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
The partnership between Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray has never been more impressive than what we’re seeing during the Denver Nuggets‘ run in the 2023 NBA playoffs. And the more their team is winning behind their outstanding performances, the more they get compared with some legendary duos.
For Miami Heat veteran guard Kyle Lowry, there are two players in particular that remind him of the highly efficient way Murray and Jokic cooperate: San Antonio Spurs Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.
“Yeah, I can’t think of — I’m pretty old in this game right now,” Lowry, 37, said when asked if there’s a big man/guard duo he faced that has the chemistry that Jokic and Murray carry. “I played Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Honestly, that’s a great combination that I got the opportunity to play against. Jamal and Jokic, they’re deadly because they both can score, pass the ball. They’re big targets, and they have a great feel for each other.”
Two of members of the Spurs‘ Holy Trinity together with Manu Ginobili, Parker and Duncan won the championship together in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014. The latter also had a chip in his bag from his sophomore year in San Antonio.
Murray and Jokic still have a very long road ahead to match these achievements but could make a start this year. They already set a solid foundation in Thursday (1/6).
Lowry and the rest of the Heat were unable to contain the action of both Jokic and Murray as they dismantled the Miami defense in Game 1 of the Finals. The Serbian center had 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds while his partner in crime provided 26 points and 10 assists as their team got a 104 – 93 win.
Their unison produced stunning results as they were finding each other on the floor with near-perfect synchronization that was pretty much unstoppable. In the meantime, the rest of the Nuggets thrived on the spaces and open looks they created.
“Yeah, that combination, they’re very, very good,” Lowry added.
A former NBA champion in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors, Lowry looks forward to seeing his team making some adjustments that will push them toward tying the series.
“In the Playoffs every single game is different, especially in the Finals,” Lowry mentioned. “Every single game is going to be a different type of game, different brand of basketball, different approach, and different guys are going to play well, so we’re seeing some good things.”