James shares his respect for Denver's two best players following a hard-fought road victory.
The Los Angeles Lakers picked up a big 115-107 win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night, and afterward, LeBron James took time to praise the two players who have given him fits in the postseason.
Even with Nikola Jokic sidelined due to a knee injury, James still had plenty of good things to say about the three-time MVP and his teammate Jamal Murray.
LeBron on Jamal Murray
When asked about Murray, James didn't hold back. He called the Nuggets guard what many around the league already know him to be.
"When he's on the court, he's an all-star point guard," James said.
Murray has been playing some of the best basketball of his career this season, and he's been doing it without Jokic for the past several weeks.
He's putting up career highs across the board, averaging 25.6 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 44.8 percent from three-point range.
The Nuggets are 29-15 on the season, and a big reason for that has been Murray stepping up as the lead guy while Jokic recovers.
LeBron on Nikola Jokic
James saved his highest praise for Jokic, who has tormented the Lakers in the playoffs over the past few seasons.
"It's the utmost respect ... Jokic is one of the greatest players to ever play," James said.
Before going down with the knee injury in late December, Jokic was putting up video game numbers, averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game.
He became the first player in NBA history to record a 55-15-15 game on Christmas Day against Minnesota before suffering the injury four days later.
A History Built on Playoff Battles
James knows Murray and Jokic well from their playoff matchups.
The Nuggets have won seven straight playoff games against the Lakers, including a sweep in the 2023 Western Conference Finals and a first-round series win in 2024.
Murray hit the go-ahead shot with 3.6 seconds left in Game 5 last year to send the Lakers home.
The respect goes both ways.
Murray and Jokic have spoken highly of James over the years, pointing to his longevity and elite play in his 23rd season as something that inspires them.
James, despite being 41 years old and dealing with injuries this season, remains one of the best in the league.
The win pushed the Lakers to 26-16 on the season as they build chemistry with Luka Doncic.
They'll need every bit of that chemistry if they hope to finally get past the Nuggets come playoff time.