The Nuggets have gotten off to an excellent 11-3 start, and people are taking notice. They’ve basically become the consensus second-favorite to win it all behind the Thunder, in a tier of their own above the rest of the West and the entire East. Nikola Jokic has raced to the top of the MVP list, Aaron Gordon has had a revelatory start to the season, and the bench and added depth have been as vital as advertised.
But one key cog in the Nuggets’ recipe for success has been carrying a lot of the burden without getting nearly enough credit, and that’s Jamal Murray. Murray has taken a lot of blame for failing to stay healthy or produce consistently in the past, and rightfully so.
However, this season, Murray has been everything the team could have hoped for and more. He came into training camp in shape and healthy, and hit the ground running, taking on a larger leadership role and vowing to have a career year without taking months to play himself into shape, which had become the norm.
And for whatever reason, Jamal has been delivering on his promises, starting off this season as well as he ever has, and it’s no coincidence that the Nuggets have followed suit. He’s averaging 22.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, which are all career highs. He’s also getting up 7 threes per game, which is his most ever, and hitting 35% of them.
Murray’s 4th quarter magic fueling Nuggets’ success
Beyond the excellent counting stats, Murray has been his clutch, reliable self in the fourth quarter. Denver fans have grown to love “Playoff Murray” and his ability to close games out when the chips are on the table.
This season, that has been the case right from the jump as he’s led the Nuggets in fourth quarter scoring and is shooting with .511/.500/.850 splits during the final frame. He's their finisher and their best perimeter scorer, and he’s a huge part of the reason that the Nuggets have gotten off to the franchise’s best start in 40 years.
If Murray can sustain this, which seems perfectly reasonable, he needs to start getting the attention he deserves. Much has been made over the years about his lack of an All-Star appearance, but if he keeps this up, that’s sure to change a few months from now.