Jamal Murray silenced his critics with a sensational 43-point performance as the Denver Nuggets overpowered the Clippers to take control of the NBA first-round series.

Some muffled M-V-P chants reverberated throughout the arena. The score read: Nuggets 52, Clippers 38. Denver never trailed, despite an average game from Nikola Jokic (a 13-point triple-double). Westbrook was not the difference. But he was a reason for the relatively easy win.

Murray makes eight 3-pointers on his way to 43 points, Russell Westbrook scores 21 off the bench and the Nuggets hand the Clippers a 131-115 defeat in Denver. Game 6 is Thursday in Inglewood.