Jamal Murray enjoyed Denver’s visit to Mexico City, praising the fans and the experience after the Nuggets beat the Indiana Pacers 114-102 on Saturday night.
“It was just a lot of fun. I would come back,” Murray said. “A lot of traffic, a lot of people, a lot of things to do, great energy. I just think the energy is great. The people are really friendly.”
The Nuggets guard also highlighted the importance of the crowd and the opportunity to connect with basketball fans outside the United States and Canada.
“I thought it was great. It was a really good environment, really good crowd cheering for both teams,” Murray said. “I think it was an away game for us, but just the love from both teams was amazing. And it was a lot of fun.”
Murray said seeing young fans had made the trip particularly meaningful.
“Seeing the kids. I think the kids always have an effect on me,” he said. “I enjoy seeing them. I enjoy seeing their excitement. It makes me want to give back.”
He added: “It brings me back to the time where I was a kid and I looked up to those guys or whoever it was and I got a chance to see them. It just means a lot.”
Murray also discussed Denver’s improving chemistry, with seven Nuggets reaching double figures against Indiana. He said the team was finding its rhythm as players adjusted to different lineups and roles.
“Just as a group we’ve been getting better, getting into more rhythm as a group, as a team,” Murray said. “Guys finding their way, finding their spacing, playing with different lineups, getting used to playing with each other.”
He welcomed the contributions from the bench, which included 13 points from Spencer Jones in his return to the rotation.
“Guys coming in scoring and taking the load off and making plays and having more confidence for themselves,” Murray said. “I think it’s huge.”
Murray added that the team’s depth had helped maintain its scoring despite his own shooting not feeling particularly sharp.
“Two nights in a row where just our bench has come in and done the scoring load,” he said. “We have no problem with that. It’s really nice to just go in the game and, you know, it didn’t feel like I shot well, but the scoreboard stayed up, and that means a lot.”
Murray also praised Nikola Jokic’s ability to create opportunities for teammates, pointing to his vision, touch and understanding of the game.
“His touch, his vision, his feel for the game. His IQ, those are just a few,” Murray said. “He does a great job of controlling the game and getting to his spots and dealing with different kinds of defenses.”
“When Joke gets on a run like that and gets going, it opens things up for everybody,” Murray added. “He’s very hard to stop as well.”
Denver improved to 5-3 with its fourth win in five games. Murray finished with 16 points and eight assists, while Jokic recorded 19 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.
