Adam Mares

And I think that was the difference.

I always talk about there's talent,

Toughness and connection.

It's those three things.

And if you're too deficient in one and another team is very strong in one, they can expose you, even if you're less talented, less connected, whatever.

They out-toughed Denver.

And I think they out-toughed Jamal Murray in particular.

And part of that had to do with, I think Jamal Murray played with the game that season a little bit.

I think that he, after a championship season, maybe kind of eased into it a little too long, got hurt late in the year, never fully got in shape.

And he went into a series where the game plan was that guy will get tired.

If we full court press him and get physical with him, he'll will.

And that's exactly what happened.

In fact, game seven really came down to fatigue in the second half from all of the guys, but especially Jamal Murray and as Anthony Edwards

proclaimed to the camera afterwards.

I had him in handcuffs in that second half.

It's exactly what happened.

That is not the Jamal Murray we have right now.

We have the best Jamal Murray we have ever seen by a wide margin.

On top of that, the Nikhil Alexander Walker, who's one of these guys that is just a perfect matchup for him specifically.

They were able to deploy him.