Yesterday’s front page story by Lauren Floyd does a great job of describing Jamal Murray’s “pep talk” after Monday night’s game.
Here are my thoughts:
The player stood on the Court, six feet away from the masked announcer, a boom microphone swaying in front of him. Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets just completed a breathtaking performance in a must-win game for his team — an other-worldy duel with Utah’s Donovan Mitchell. The two of them were draining three point shots over 48 minutes like they were throwing a crumpled up piece of paper into a wastebasket two feet away.
The announcer asked a question. Murray said a word or two, but then fell silent — so emotionally overwrought he could not answer. He bent over with his hands on his knees for about 15 seconds of silence — an eternity in TV or radio time, sometimes called “dead air.”
But this air was very much alive, sending a thunderous message to the world about the astonishing mix of charged issues the NBA Playoffs have become:
- Social justice from the beginninng, BLM-related shirts and signs, some in the players’ native languages; then amplified several fold by the player’s strike. When he did speak, Muarry talked about his sneakers with the faces of George Floyd and Breona Taylor: “I use these shoes as a symbol to me to keep fighting all around the world. So I can say they give me a lot of power to keep fighting.”
- Athletic excellence of another dimension. Murray scored 50, Mitchell scored 44. Murray made 75% of his 3-point shots; Mitchell made 70%. To put that in persepctive, the NBA 3-point average for all players is about 36%, and coaches are ecstatic if you exceed 40%.* If you haven’t ever tried a 3-point shot, it’s an extremely long distance to throw a ball into a ring only slightly larger than the ball.
- A demonstration that healthcare and science do work. That life can go on during a Pandemic — but only with the guidance of expert knowledge. The NBA’s success in the bubble should be a slap in the face to the reckless sociopaths who treat lives like refuse, throwing people into environments they know are unsafe.
The interview ended, Murray began walking to the locker room. But then he stopped in the corridor, and an overhead camera captured him crouching down, showing the back of his jersey reading:
FREEDOM
27
MURRAY
Another eloquent, silent message, clearer and louder than any crowd in any arena or stadium.
Post-game interview
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Since the NBA B ubble is the FLorida, consider giving to Florida Red District and other FL candidates through 90for90 here.
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*Break even is 33%.(where 3 pt. shots are no advantage over 2 pts.)
