Game 7 in Denver was supposed to be a war. Instead, it felt like an ambush. The Oklahoma City Thunder dismantled the 2023 champs. Final score? 125-93. But what lingered more than the box score was a single, striking moment of sportsmanship between Jamal Murray and Shai Gilgeous.
After the final buzzer, Jamal Murray, emotionally drained but visibly smiling, wrapped his arms around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. His message? “Bring it home. Bring it home for the 6ix.” That’s not just a gesture. That’s pride, pain, and patriotism wrapped in ten words.
What kind of athlete says that after watching his own season collapse under the weight of missed shots and mounting pressure? The kind who understands that basketball is more than wins. It’s about legacy. And on Sunday night, Jamal Murray showed as much grace in defeat as he does fire in crunch time.
Jamal Murray to Shai after the game-
“Bring it home. Bring it home for the 6ix.”
Canadians showing love pic.twitter.com/j0j4fg1RAw
— 𝘿𝙐𝙁𝙁𝘼𝙇𝙊 (@Duffal0) May 18, 2025
What’s running through Jamal Murray’s mind now after a hard-fought seven-game series that ended just short? The kind of series that leaves you staring at what could’ve been, while the echoes of every missed opportunity still sting. “A lot to be honest,” Murray said, reflecting on the rollercoaster. “It was a very competitive series. It was really fun to be honest, the all seven games.”
But the fun faded with frustration. Turnovers. Spacing issues. “Guys trying to… make the right play with each other, but it was two guys trying to do the same thing or just on top of each other,” Murray explained. The defensive pressure? Relentless. “They pack the paint. We got to allow each other to give or allow each other to have space to do whatever the hell we’re trying to do or create on offense.” Sound familiar? It’s a classic playoff tale: the battle between execution and defense, space and congestion.
“We just didn’t bring our best tonight,” said Jamal Murray, amidst giving Shai a pat and a hug for his win in Game 7
By halftime, OKC had built a 60-46 lead. The Thunder’s ball movement sliced through the Nuggets like a hot knife through altitude. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was brilliant again, dropping 35 points while Jalen Williams flirted with a triple-double.
And Denver? Lost. Nikola Jokic managed just 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists — human numbers for someone who’s usually anything but. Jamal Murray shot 13 and looked out of rhythm all night. “We just didn’t bring our best tonight,” Murray admitted in the postgame presser. And well, this is not just frustration, it’s clarity. Denver wasn’t out-hustled. They were outclassed. And Murray knew it. But here’s where this story becomes more than just a recap.
Coming back to the Jamal-Shai dynamic, Jamal Murray and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander share more than a position on the floor. They share a hometown. Both are proud products of Ontario — two Canadian guards who’ve taken very different paths but now stand at the heart of their respective teams.
So when Murray pulled Shai close and told him to “bring it home for the 6ix,” he wasn’t just passing the torch — he was passing the hope of a nation. That’s a different kind of loss. One that hurts — but still heals.
It also says something about the respect Shai has earned. This wasn’t an emotional throwaway line. It was a nod from one of Canada’s most accomplished players to the country’s next great hope. For Team Canada, for the culture, and maybe for what’s to come next. Let’s also not forget: just months ago, Shai brought home a bronze medal at the FIBA World Cup. Now? Shai’s headed to the Western Conference Finals, and Murray’s headed home.
But even in defeat, Murray’s final words have already become folklore among Canadian basketball fans. However, Denver’s elimination opens a full-blown offseason autopsy.
They enter the summer with aging rotation pieces, a second apron dilemma, and questions around whether continuity alone is enough to compete in a rising West. Michael Porter Jr. was nearly invisible in Game 7. Aaron Gordon’s defense couldn’t plug all the holes. And the bench, which had been a concern all year, was utterly outplayed.
Jokic will remain Jokic. But how many prime years do you burn trying to “run it back” while the Thunder, Timberwolves just keep rising? “100%,” Murray said when asked if the Nuggets still had hope and could regroup after this loss.
“We just came up short tonight. We’ll get back in the gym and get back to it for next year.” Well, good for the team if that’s the case. And if not? Then maybe this is the moment they’ll look back on as the turning point—or the one that slipped through their fingers. Because hope is nice, but in the NBA, it’s action that writes the next chapter.
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