#AbuseTheArrow?

#MugMurray?

#JamJamal?

Even if it isn’t trending on Twitter, it’s sure as hell trending in the throes of this Nuggets-Blazers series. And Jamal Murray has the sorry we’re up to plurals to prove it.

“(Those displays ) hurt. It’s what it is,” the Nuggets’ point guard said after a painful 15-point, seven-rebound campaign against Portland in a 97-90 Game 2 loss at the Pepsi Center late Wednesday night, a setback that evened the best-of-seven NBA Western conference semifinals at 1-1.

RELATED: Nuggets come up short against Trail Blazers in Game 2, series tied 1-1

“(It) hurt for the rest of the game. Couldn’t move, obviously. Coach had to take me out. (I’ll) get treatment and get ready for Game 3, but it’s certainly hurting. ”

Murray on Wednesday re-aggravated a perfect thigh injury originally suffered in the Nuggets’ series victory over San Antonio, one of the casualties jumping into the trenches with Gregg Popovich when elimination’s on the line. The Spurs also unearthed a plan — successful, if underhanded — to efficiently pour sugar into Denver’s gas tank:

Murray can’t beat on you or through his motion if the child doesn & rsquo;t have two legs to stand on.

Ergo, the Blazers will also be merrily banging away on No. 27 via displays and other assorted love taps, because Pop doesn’t mess around. And the stats don’t lie: Going into Friday’s Game 3 in Portland, whenever Murray has been held under 39 percent shooting from the floor in the postseason, the Nuggets are 0-4 — a trend line that contains the Blue Arrow’s 6-for-18 line (33.3 percent) during Denver’s setback in Game 2.

In the regular season, the Nuggets were 12-11 (.528) when Murray fell below the 39 percent mark on field-goal efforts, as opposed to 42-17 (.712) when he cracked 39 percent or better.

“I mean, shot for shot, I missed a ton in the first half where I was completely wide open,” said Murray, who’d connected on 8 of 15 attempts (53.3 percent), 3 of 6 from beyond the arc, in Game 1. “We just missed. (We) had our opportunities to close the gap repeatedly, but we just didn’t. I believe our effort defensively in the second half was really great, but it came down to us putting the ball in the hoop. ”

Later on, it could well come down to putting ice on Murray’s stilts if No. 27, and the Nuggets, plan to make it from the Pacific Northwest in 1 piece. Defensive ace Torrey Craig wasn’t the only Denver favorite Wednesday night hoping to fly a wounded wing.

“I think it is (carrying over from San Antonio),” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said of Murray, who’d taken offense to the displays set by Spurs center Jakob Poeltl. “I think it’s just that right thigh area. Obviously, I think it’s probably sore and bruised from last show … he’ll just need to get treatment for the next few days, try to loosen it up so he can play as successful as possible come Friday night in Game 3. ”

Malone held Murray from the minute of the contest for precautionary reasons, although the Canadian sharpshooter still managed to make a dent in the box score anyway. With 43 seconds left and Damian Lillard having spat another nail into Game 2’s coffin in the charity stripe, the Blazers’ 6-11 center Enes Kanter went careening into Craig as he left the street, sending the 6-7 small forward — who was already nursing a serious nasal contusion — sprawling onto the hardwood.

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Replays showed that Kanter was likely shoved by Nikola Jokic to begin the dominoes falling, a launching point Murray may not have noticed, as he left the bench during a break in the action and got into the Portland center’s face, drawing a technical in the procedure.

“I thought he hit Torrey, again,” Murray said. “So it is what it is. ”

It’s an even show today. It’s the Blazers with three of the four at home, potentially, daring the Nuggets to repeat their Game 4-in-San-Antonio swagger. And for No. 27’s sore legs, it’s déjà vu all over again.

“Shooters shoot,” he said. “But at the exact same time, you’re still shooting and they’re not going down … we just need to make some adjustments earlier, whether it’s mixing it up inside-out or trying to play a faster game. But we must change something. ”

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