The Los Angeles Lakers are 3-1 up in the WCF. They’re one win away from making it to the NBA Finals, and it took a special effort from LeBron James in the final minutes of Game 4 to seal victory for the purple and gold. 

Jamal Murray has been the hottest player in the bubble, helping his team complete two monumental comeback in the Playoffs. He’s been equally deadly against the Lakers and threatened to take the Game 4 away from them in the dying minutes. 

That’s when King James switched to guarding Murray and effectively limited him from scoring big. LeBron took on the challenge and came out as the victor, much to the praise of his teammates and head coach Frank Vogel. 

NBA Bubble followers would know how dangerous Jamal Murray has been. In the list of active players, he has the second-highest PPG average in the bubble, right behind Anthony Davis. The Lakers have had a tough time restricting Murray in the WCF, as he just seems to beam with confidence and guide his team over the line. 

Frank Vogel and Anthony Davis laud LeBron James for his clutch time heroics 

LeBron James took up the assignment of guarding Murray in the final quarter and put in vital minutes against him. LeBron’s defense proved to be a significant reason behind the Lakers’ victory as Murray was allowed to make just three field goals in the fourth quarter.

“LeBron asked for the assignment and obviously I granted it. He did a great job down the stretch… Nothing was really working to slow him down until LeBron took that assignment, so game ball to him,” Frank Vogel said after the game. 

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Moreover, Anthony Davis described the winning attitude of LeBron and his desire to emerge as the winner at any challenging cost. “I think he [LeBron] just loves the challenges, honestly. Especially late game… He loves to take on those challenges and make them score over him,” Davis said. “He’s a great defensive player.”

AD showered heaps of praise on LeBron for containing Jamal Murray in the fourth quarter. “He did a hell of a job at the end of the game…He wants that one-on-one challenge, and he did a hell of a job.”

LeBron recognizes the greatness in Jamal Murray 

The 2020 NBA Playoffs has been a platform for Jamal Murray to showcase the world his incredible skills. Moreover, the 23-year-old performed an MJ-Esque move in Game 4, a beautiful up-and-under layup against LeBron. 

However, King James had the last laugh as the Lakers clinched a six-point victory. After the win, LBJ reflected on his matchup with Murray and said, “I knew it was winning time and Jamal [Murray] had it going. … I told my teammates that I had him.”

Murray is currently averaging 26.5 points against the Lakers in the WCF. He’s been a dangerous customer on the offensive end, and LeBron acknowledged it in the recent post-game presser. 

“Hell of a player. One of the hottest guys that we have in the bubble today out of the four teams remaining. I just wanted to try to take the challenge. He’s a tough guard, very shifty. He’s a triple threat,” James said, per Michael Scotto of USA Today. 

As a result of the Game 4 defeat, the Nuggets are on the verge of exiting the bubble after an excellent campaign. The Lakers are now the heavy favorites to advance to the finals.

LeBron has never lost a series after going 3-1 up! Furthermore, we doubt if Denver will pull off a comeback like they did against the Jazz and the Clippers.