After beginning the season with some struggles and lacking consistency, Jamal Murray has returned to playing elite basketball. His play has continued to improve as the season has gone on. He is averaging a career-high in points per game on great efficiency. Since the All-Star break, he has been in elite form and reliable, showing consistency and confidence. With Murray at the top of his game, the Denver Nuggets can be at their best. It takes away some pressure on Nikola Jokić, making the Nuggets a better team.
Jamal Murray Elite Play Skyrockets Nuggets’ Title Chances
Confidence and Consistency
Murray’s success has increased his confidence. Since the All-Star break, Murray has averaged 24.0 points per game and 5.8 assists per game on 49.4% from the field and 48.5% from the three-point line. His true shooting percentage of 64.0% since the break is nearly 5% higher than his career high he set in 2020-21. His combination of interior and three-point efficiency has made him a threat from anywhere on the court.
Not only has Murray been scoring efficiently, but he is consistently providing production. Since dropping 45 points against the Dallas Mavericks on January 14th, he scored 18 or more points in 21 of those 27 contests, shooting 50.0% from the field or higher in 18 games. Alongside Jokić, who is proving his MVP case, they have helped propel the Nuggets to a 19-8 record over that span. The Nuggets not only need Murray to be at his best but need him to do it consistently for them to compete for another championship.
Murray is also adding consistent disruption on defense. Although he is not known for his elite defense, he averages 1.4 steals per game this season, a new career-high. Guaranteeing a steal or two a game can be vital in momentum swings and ignite the Nuggets’ fast break.
A Threat From Downtown
Where Murray has made the biggest jump from the start of the season to recently is his three-point shooting. During the Nuggets’ first 20 games, Murray shot 35.6% from three on 5.9 attempts per game. In the Nuggets’ previous 45 games, Murray’s three-point percentage is 41.5% with 5.8 attempts per game. His improved shooting percentage from three is a big reason he is averaging a career-high in points per game this season.
It’s not just his efficiency that stands out, but his volume. When Murray hits four or more threes in a game, the Nuggets are 11-3. The Nuggets are only 25-19 in the games where he makes three or fewer. Getting Murray more attempts from three at his elite efficiency is extremely valuable for a Nuggets team that is dead last in three-point attempts per game.
It’s not just from three, but when the Nuggets make Murray a volume scorer, they succeed. In games where Murray attempts 18 or more shots, the Nuggets are 17-6. They need Murray to be at his best and confident taking shots. When he is taking shots with confidence and scoring in volumes, it elevates the Nuggets as a team. To be a championship contender, the Nuggets need Murray to be at the top of his game. With him and Jokić being a dynamic duo, they feed off one another allowing their offense to thrive.
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