The NBA is good for many reasons, but one of the best reasons involves the millionaire men getting mad at each other over perceived injustices on the court.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is currently engaged in a collective beef against the Los Angeles Lakers, and it’s so juicy that we’re gonna keep some napkins in here. It’s ridiculous people are actually mad about this, but that shouldn’t stop us from enjoying it.
Before Tuesday’s rematch between the Nuggets and Lakers, both sides downplayed the beef. Will Barton even called it a “suburban beef,” which is a perfect descriptor. This was the final regular-season matchup between the two sides, and Denver led the season series. 2-1, obviously with Murray leading the charge in the last two victories.
But Tuesday’s matchup, a 112-103 Lakers’ win, added another layer to this evolving rivalry. This one could get good down the road.
How did this start?
The beef started here when Murray dribbled around Lonzo Ball in the closing seconds of the Nuggets win against Los Angeles earlier this season. He enveloped Ball instead of just calmly dribbling out the clock. There wasn’t any contact made or clear showboating engaged in during this play. Ball himself didn’t even seem perturbed by anything other than the fact that his team was losing.
But a few teammates took exception and fouled Murray.
The Lakers didn't take kindly to Jamal Murray dribbling around Lonzo to end the game. pic.twitter.com/bGBPiQy5nq
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 3, 2017
Was that it?
Nope! In the next game, Murray said something to Luke Walton after icing another win at the free-throw line. Walton got mad, naturally, and yelled at Murray. The millionaires live a really hard life, I’m telling you, always having to be on the lookout for people mildly disrespecting them! Couldn’t be me.
There’s more?
Yup. On Tuesday, Lakers fans took the Denver-Los Angeles rivalry into their own hands. They booed Murray during introductions:
Jamal Murray gets introduced pic.twitter.com/tDZW8j4YfW
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) March 14, 2018
Then they showered loud chants of “Murray sucks!” mid-game:
Staples Center is lit with a "Murray Sucks" chant pic.twitter.com/7OXKAgoYJZ
— Lakers Outsiders (@LakersOutsiders) March 14, 2018
Then at the end of the game, Isaiah Thomas dribbled the clock out with his team up nine. And when time expired? Yeah, you guessed right.
He chucked the ball right in Murray’s direction.
This is why you never turn off an NBA game before final buzzer. Isaiah Thomas dribbling out clock throws ball straight to Jamal Murray on other side of court for what he did in Denver/rub in the L.
— Pettywise (@World_Wide_Wob) March 14, 2018
#Pettywarz forever pic.twitter.com/XpJWnwcRCu
What did the Lakers say about Murray?
Ball said something about how Murray has done things “two times in a row now,” and “We’ll see what happens.” Nothing ever happens when NBA players say, “We’ll see what happens,” but it definitely makes everyone know that they’re mad!
Walton called Murray disrespectful, which is fine. He definitely is! I just happen to think every NBA player should be a little more disrespectful. This ain’t church, and nobody’s life is on the line, especially true for Lakers games since they’re so far out of the playoff race and don’t even get a first-round pick this year. Live a little, fellas. Talk your shit! It’s just basketball and we’re all friends out here.
Did Murray say anything?
He did, and I adore this quote from him, just nodding his head and basically cupping his hand around his ear, like, “I can’t hear you guys!”
“I can’t control what the other team’s gonna feel,” Murray added. “I’m just gonna go out there and hoop, and whoever takes it to heart and takes their losses salty, I can’t do anything about that.”
When will this beef continue?
Tuesday’s game was the two team’s last scheduled meeting this year, and with Lakers fans and Thomas taking things another step, this beef just might last until next year.
The NBA will never go vegetarian because beefs like this sustain it. This one is delicious, thank you very much.