Nuggets star disregards Anthony Edwards after Game 6 loss: 'Who?'

While being guarded by Anthony Edwards for most of the game, Jamal Murray was held to 4-of-18 shooting in Denver's 115-70 loss to Minnesota on Thursday. 

As such, a reporter in the postgame presser was justified in asking Murray about Edwards' defensive impact.

"How difficult did Anthony Edwards make it for you when he was checking you?" asked the reporter. 

In response, Murray blamed his shooting woes on the hyperextended elbow he suffered early in the first quarter when he ran into a Rudy Gobert screen. But only after disregarding Edwards. 

"Who?" asked Murray. "For me? It was more about my elbow at that point. Even some passes, my arm... it was more offensively for him. It wasn't him guarding me. He was scoring on the other end, and scoring at a great rate. Everybody on their team brought their game, and we weren't able to defend them, and keep them out of our paint or get them off the line."

Murray's response could be perceived as the latest sign of a blossoming rivalry between him and Edwards. The two guards have exchanged words with each other for the entirety of the series — both on and off the court. 

While Murray blamed his elbow for his poor shooting night, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins disagreed with the justification on "SportsCenter" late Thursday night. 

"That ain't what I witnessed. He [Edwards] was on his [Murray's] behind like back pockets," Perkins stressed. "At the end of the day, he has to rise to the occasion. When we talk about the best duos in the game, we talk about [Nikola] Jokic and Jamal Murray. Jokic has been doing his part, but Murray hasn't elevated his game in this playoff series."

Perkins believes Edwards has been taking his match-up with Murray "personal" and will continue to exert pressure on the Nuggets guard in Sunday's Game 7.