Brilliant in the playoffs after returning from a serious injury to allow Denver to win the NBA title, Jamal Murray confirmed that he had returned to his best level, and this time over an entire season. The Nuggets leader thus displays his best career stats in almost all areas of the game. All in relative anonymity, despite his status as reigning champion.
While his coach Mike Malone had already pointed out that Jamal Murray was “underrated” in relation to what he produced on the field, the person also spoke on the issue, recalling that he was also evolving alongside one of the best players of all time, Nikola Jokic.
“From the media or people who don’t follow basketball, maybe. But I think I have the respect of my peers. It's all that matters. If I go on the field and I'm one of the most feared, no matter what people say, that's all I need.”, he assures “. “I do my best to be the best. I want to be the best player of all time. It's clear that if you don't shoot a lot, you'll never succeed. I think Nikola Jokic is the best right now. I try to be the best second possible.”
Finals MVP title in sight
Despite his level of play, Jamal Murray has for example never tasted the honors of being selected for the All-Star Game. Nothing to discourage him, quite the contrary, since the Denver leader aspires to bigger things for the rest of his career.
“What I admire about Jamal is that he uses it as motivation,” slipped Mike Malone. “Do I think Jamal Murray is an All-Star? Of course. I think he's shown time and time again that he's not only a good player, but he's elite. I think what can help Jamal sleep well at night is that he did things in the playoffs that All-Stars will never do.”
What Jamal Murray dreams of during his sweet nights in his bed as an NBA champion is to return to the NBA Finals as quickly as possible, and to make his mark again.
Already the author of a superb performance with his 21.4 points and 10 assists on average in the final against the Heat, this time he imagines himself going for another distinction: the title of MVP of the final series.
“I think that’s the ultimate distinction, not just for me,” he added. “If you have a Finals MVP trophy, that means you achieved everything, when the moments matter. Anyone can be an All-Star, put up big stats against teams in the regular season. But here, it's over seven games, again and again against teams prepared to beat you, slow you down, do everything to take the ball out of your hands, blitz you, make two-man catches. I think that says a lot more about your game than it does about the regular season.”
Winners in Miami last night, the Nuggets have at the same time regained first place in the Western Conference and are more than ever in a good position to keep their title.
| Jamal Murray | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2016-17 | DEN | 82 | 22 | 40.4 | 33.4 | 88.3 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 9.9 |
| 2017-18 | DEN | 81 | 32 | 45.1 | 37.8 | 90.5 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 16.7 |
| 2018-19 | DEN | 75 | 33 | 43.7 | 36.7 | 84.8 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 18.2 |
| 2019-20 | DEN | 59 | 32 | 45.6 | 34.6 | 88.1 | 0.8 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 18.5 |
| 2020-21 | DEN | 48 | 36 | 47.7 | 40.8 | 86.9 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 21.2 |
| 2022-23 | DEN | 65 | 33 | 45.4 | 39.8 | 83.3 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 6.2 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 20.0 |
| 2023-24 | DEN | 49 | 32 | 48.3 | 42.0 | 83.7 | 0.7 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 6.6 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 21.2 |
| Total | 459 | 31 | 45.2 | 37.8 | 86.6 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 17.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
