Funny summer for Jamal Murray. While he was supposed to take Canada to the final stage, his offensive talent logically allowing him to replace Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, sometimes too alone to be able to make a difference on this side of the court, the Nuggets playmaker ultimately had almost no impact.
We can even say that he sometimes had a negative impact on his team, like the quarter-final against France, concluded with 7 points on 3/13 shooting, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 lost balls…
“They had an incredible match. They gave their all from the start.” he simply explained.
For Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (27 points on 9/19 shooting, 5 rebounds and 4 assists), who almost single-handedly brought Canada back into the game, it was the start of the match that made the difference.
29% success rate including 14% from 3-point range…
“The key is the start of the game. With the sense of urgency, the aggressiveness and the attention to detail.” responded the Thunder superstar. “That put us in a hole. Even though we won the rest of the game.”
Jamal Murray was supposed to help Canada get out of these holes by bringing offensive punch. But the 2023 champion didn't have any punch this summer. Already slowed down in the playoffs, he finished these Olympic Games with 6 points on average, at 29% success including 14% from afar, and almost as many turnovers (2.3) as passes (3.8).
His average +/- of -5.8 over his team's four games also shows that his time on the field didn't really help Canada. So, yes, he had to work with a minute limit, and his preparation was truncated by a return trip to the United States for a family emergency that slowed him down. On the field, he certainly appeared awkward, struggling to make a difference with his first step, which is his main strength.
Should Nuggets fans be worried now? Or should management be worried, given that Jamal Murray has yet to sign a four-year, $208.5 million extension with Denver, with talks between the two camps having been put on hold for the Olympics?
