On Aug. 23, 2020, Jamal Murray and Donovan Mitchell put on a historic showcase in Game 4 of the first-round series between the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz.
Donovan Mitchell & Jamal Murray make #NBAPlayoffs history! pic.twitter.com/pcKflC9kb9
— NBA (@NBA) August 24, 2020
Donovan Mitchell scored 51 points, helping the Jazz overcome Jamal Murray's 50-piece and win the hard-fought contest 129-127. The 6-foot-1 guard scored 18 of his total points tally in the fourth quarter including 16 of the Jazz's final 20 points.
With his performance, he put his name alongside Michael Jordan (vs. Cleveland, 1988) and Allen Iverson (vs. Toronto, 2001) as the only players (at the time) ever to record multiple 50-point games in the same playoff series.
Along with 51, Mitchell also registered seven assisted while shooting with incredible efficiency. He knocked down 15 of his 27 attempts from the field, four of seven from beyond the arc and 17 of his 18 from the free-throw line.
On the other hand, Murray's 50 points were not only a career-high but also a franchise playoff record, making him the only player in franchise history, since Denver joined the NBA in 1976, to have scored at least 50.
Along with his 50, he also pulled down 11 rebounds and dished out seven assists while shooting 18-of-31 from the field and 9-of-15 from beyond the arc.
While the Game 4 win helped the Jazz take a 3-1 lead, the Nuggets not only forced a Game 7 but also came out on top to advance to the next round. Murray, with some heroices performances including a 50-point Game 6, had a huge contribution to the latter three wins.
Irrespective of the result, Mitchell and Murray put on a 1-on-1 seven-game playoff duel for the ages.
Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray combined to score 475 points in this series 👏
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 2, 2020
That is the most combined points by opposing players in a series in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/nge3BoytbT
Other notable events on Aug. 23
- Also in the 2020 playoffs, Luka Doncic nailed a step-back game-winning 3-pointer in overtime in Game 4 of the Dallas Mavericks' first-round series against the LA Clippers. That epic shot capped-off a legendary performance from the Slovenian where he finished with 43 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists.
- In 2014, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquire Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a three-team trade. The Timberwolves received No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins and former top pick Anthony Bennett from the Cavaliers, Thaddeus Young from the Philadelphia 76ers and a $6.3 million trade exception. The 76ers received a 2015 first-round draft choice, guard Alexey Shved and forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute from Minnesota.
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