Tag: Jamal Murray

Jamal Murray joked that John Stockton couldn’t score like him, and he’s absolutely right

Jamal Murray already has three times as many 30-point performances.

When you rank the best guard and big pairings in NBA history, who are the first names that come to mind?

Most basketball fans will probably list some of the greats like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob Cousy and Bill Russell, or John Stockton and Karl Malone.

If you’re receiving comparisons to any of those legends, you’re probably doing something right.

David Adelman, the assistant coach for the Nuggets who is filling in for Mike Malone after the head coach entered the league’s health and safety protocols, mentioned Denver’s star duo of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic alongside the likes of longtime Utah Jazz stars Stockton and Malone.

It was obviously meant as a compliment considering Stockton and Malone are both Hall of Famers who made 24 combined All-Star appearances. Murray, however, made an important observation about the comparison.

Murray smiled and said that he didn’t think Stockton could score as well as he can for the Nuggets, and he isn’t wrong!

Stockton averaged 13.1 points per game during his career whereas Murray has eclipsed that in each of his five professional seasons as a regular starter for the Nuggets.

During the 1,504 regular-season games that he played during his career, the Jazz guard notched at least 30 points on 11 occasions. Murray, meanwhile, has played just 383 regular-season games and he has already recorded three times as many 30-point performances.

Murray, similarly, has scored 6,353 points during his NBA career thus far. After the same number of games in the NBA, Stockton had logged 3,834.

Stockton, of course, is widely considered one of the best passers and most productive playmakers in league history. Murray, however, was well within his right to note the difference in comparative scoring prowess.

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The Trail Blazers and Nuggets combined to give us the most ridiculously absurd shot making sequence we’ll see all season

Jamal Murray’s game winner against the Trail Blazers capped off the most incredible ending in the NBA so far.

There have been plenty of exciting games so far this season with many of the coming down to the wire.

But I highly doubt that we’ll see one as impressive as what the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers gave us on Thursday night.

Yes, I’m well aware of the consequences of what I’m saying. This is a meaningless regular season game in the middle of December. Nobody is going to care about this in May or June.

But still, this might be the most exciting game we’ve seen all year. At the bare minimum, it’ll be the best finish we see all year.

Damian Lillard, Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic and their respective teams gave us clutch bucket after clutch bucket after clutch bucket. Lillard dropped in 40 points with what looked like it should’ve been the game-winning shot. Jokic gave us a near triple-double with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists.

Murray? Well, let’s just say he was bubble Jamal Murray again. Y’all know the vibes. Come get some, Jerami Grant.

That’s the game-winner right there. A big 3-pointer to beat the buzzer from Murray and send the Nuggets home with a W.

But that’s just the ending. The entire sequence that led up to it was just as insane. 

That’s just an entire minute of some of the toughest buckets you’ll see all season long. Man. Somebody had to go home with an L, I guess. But, clearly, we’re all the winners here.

More of this please, NBA. Thank you.

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Jamal Murray worried he would get traded after torn ACL, but Nuggets assured him he would stay

The Nuggets knew Jamal Murray would come back even stronger.

Jamal Murray was playing some of the best basketball of his life before he tore his ACL in April 2021.

Shortly after he got the devastating news about his left knee, his head rushed with thoughts. After the initial shock and pain and the dust began to settle, he had a lot to process. What did this mean for his basketball career? Even more urgently, what did this mean for his day-to-day life?

Murray was drafted by the Nuggets with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Denver is the only city he has known as a professional basketball player. Would they still want him now that he required such a recovery?

Jason Quick wrote about Murray’s initial thought process (via The Athletic):

Those were troubled times, so uncertain, so daunting. The day after he tore the ACL in the final minute of a game at Golden State, Murray boarded the Nuggets’ team bus and sat next to coach Michael Malone, and shared such a vulnerable moment that it still sticks with Malone to this day. As the bus rumbled to the airport, Malone said Murray turned to him and asked “Are you guys going to trade me?”

Today, Murray chuckles at that memory.

“I mean, that wasn’t my only thought,” Murray said. “There were so many doubts: Am I going to be different? Am I going to play the same? Am I going to be worth it? So … being traded was one thing on my mind.”

When he spoke to his head coach, Michael Malone, he was quickly reassured that Denver’s front office had no interest in such a transaction.

In fact, Malone said, they felt assured that he would eventually come back as an even stronger basketball player.

“That’s where his mind was: Maybe I’m damaged goods; maybe they don’t want me anymore,” Malone said. “Obviously, I quickly shot that down and said ‘We love you; I love you. You are not being traded. You are going to come back a better player, there is zero doubt in my mind.”

Murray, who connected on a game-winning shot against the Trail Blazers on Dec. 8, is starting to find his rhythm again after missing all of last season for the Nuggets.

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‘Very difficult’: Rockets look to adapt, learn from blowouts in Denver

#Rockets head coach Stephen Silas on losing twice in Denver: “It is very difficult, especially against a good veteran team that has been together for a long time.”

At 50 feet above sea level, the Houston Rockets look like a basketball team, slowly turning the page and becoming familiar with one another. They put together consecutive wins for the first time in many months versus the Atlanta Hawks and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Elevate them to 5,280 feet, and they appear to be a team is collectively playing together for the first time in a pickup game. The Denver Nuggets defeated the Rockets on Monday and Wednesday nights, and it was a learning lesson that Houston can build on.

One competitive edge the Nuggets have against the Rockets is a veteran team led by two-time NBA MVP (2021, 2022) Nikola Jokić directing the offense. His presence on the court requires a constant double team, as his offensive skillset is among the best in the league regarding scoring and passing. His court vision allows his teammates to continuously move throughout the offense, looking for open shots that usually come around the basket.

In addition to Jokić, the team has two savvy veterans in guard Jamal Murray and forward Aaron Gordon. In those games, they effectively bullied the younger Rockets players while playing their brand of basketball. The combination shot 64.7% from the field.

“It is very difficult, especially against a good veteran team that has been together for a long time,” Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said about competing against the Nuggets. “Their two main guys in Jokić and Murray were the two we had problems with.”

Despite losing twice by an average of 18 points, all was not lost for Houston in their first two games of a four-game road trip. Second-year center Alperen Sengün came into the two-game series knowing he would go up against one of his basketball idols in Jokić. He was looking forward to seeing where his game would match up against the All-Star while seeking tips on where he could improve.

Early foul trouble plagued Sengün in consecutive games as Jokić used his years of experience in the NBA to bait him into unnecessary fouls. With the game out of reach, both players were not matched against one another as much. Sengün averaged 18 points and nine rebounds and was active on both ends of the court against the Nuggets.

“He did a good job,” Silas said of Sengün. “He fought hard on the offensive end and did a lot of good things on the defensive end. “It is just a hard cover because Jokić is crafty, he is big, and when he misses, he gets his own rebound. He makes every play. Al-P (Alperen) tried his hardest and did a good job, but that is the MVP (Jokić) performance that we saw.”

Houston (5-16) now travels from the “Mile High City” to Phoenix, where they will face a Suns (15-6) squad with the top record in the Western Conference. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. Central on Friday.

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‘Disappointed’: Rockets blasted from opening tipoff by Jamal Murray, Nuggets

#Rockets coach Stephen Silas on Wednesday’s blowout loss at Denver: “You can’t ease into these games. You’ve got to come in with a defensive mindset, a hard-play mindset, together.”

In a game that wasn’t competitive from the opening tipoff, the young and rebuilding Rockets were no match for the Western Conference’s second-best team in Wednesday’s 120-100 loss (box score) at the Denver Nuggets.

Alperen Sengun led Houston (5-16) with 18 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes, shooting 8-of-12 (66.7%) overall.

Jamal Murray led Denver (14-7) with 26 points in 31 minutes on 9-of-15 shooting (60.0%), including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers (66.7%). Back-to-back NBA MVP Nikola Jokic added 17 points, 9 rebounds and a game-high 12 assists, shooting 7-of-9 from the field (77.8%).

“I was disappointed with how we began the game,” said head coach Stephen Silas, whose team was outscored in an overwhelming first quarter, 44-24. “Against teams like this, you can’t ease into these games. You’ve got to come in with a defensive mindset, a hard-play mindset, a together mindset. We were even the rest of the game, but when you start like that, it’s hard to win.”

Kevin Porter Jr. had a team-high 23 points and 5 assists for the Rockets, making 5-of-7 from 3-point range (71,4%). However, he made only 3-of-11 (27.3%) from inside the arc. Jalen Green had 16 points on just 6-of-16 shooting (37.5%) and 1-of-7 on 3-pointers (14.3%).

Rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr. continued his recent shooting surge with 13 points, making 3-of-6 from 3-point range (50%).

Read on for highlights, analysis and postgame interviews from Denver. Houston finishes its four-game Western Conference road trip with a tough back-to-back on Friday and Saturday at Phoenix and Golden State. Tipoffs are at 8 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively.

Takeaways: Alperen Sengun learns in losing battle with Nikola Jokic

Denver pulled away from Houston in Monday’s second half, but it was a valuable learning experience for Alperen Sengun (18 points in 23 minutes) versus Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets pulled away from Houston in Monday’s second half, leading to a 129-113 Denver victory (box score), but it was a valuable learning experience for second-year Rockets center Alperen Sengun versus back-to-back NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

Sengun had a team-high 18 points (50% FG) and 7 rebounds in 23 minutes, with most of Houston’s regulars not returning to the game in the fourth quarter due to a lopsided score. On the other side, Jokic showed his MVP chops with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists in just 27 minutes, shooting 11-of-17 (64.7%) from the field.

“I was excited to play against him,” Sengun said postgame of the matchup with Jokic. “I’m learning. He’s a good post-up player, and I’m learning how I can guard when they’re playing post-up.”

Backcourt star Jamal Murray added 31 points for the Nuggets (13-7) on an 11-of-17 shooting line identical to Jokic’s.

Jalen Green had 17 points and 7 assists for the Rockets but struggled to shoot, making just 5-of-15 from the field (33.3%) and 1-of-7 on 3-pointers (14.3%). Rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr. had 9 points and 3 rebounds on 3-of-4 shooting (75.0%), though he played only 17 minutes. For the Rockets, it was the third game in four nights and one at high altitude, which likely contributed to the decision by head coach Stephen Silas to limit minutes for many regulars.

Scroll on for highlights, analysis and postgame interviews. Houston (5-15) plays game two of its four-part road trip with another matchup at Denver on Wednesday, with tipoff again at 8 p.m. Central.

HoopsHype explains: What is the Designated Rookie Rule?

HoopsHype is introducing a new series that aims to educate its audience on the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here is an FAQ on the designated rookie rule, which has become a topic of conversation in this year’s free agency.

HoopsHype explains: What is the Designated Rookie Rule?

HoopsHype is introducing a new series that aims to educate its audience on the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here is an FAQ on the designated rookie rule, which has become a topic of conversation in this year’s free agency.

HoopsHype is introducing a new series that aims to educate its audience on the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here is an FAQ on the designated rookie rule, which has become a topic of conversation in this year’s free agency.

A dismayed Jamal Murray and his yellow hat created the perfect NBA playoffs meme

It’s perfect.

Jamal Murray tore the ACL in his left knee back on April 12 and is out for the season, but he still managed to be a major factor in the Nuggets’ 123-109 loss to the Trail Blazers in the opening game of their NBA playoff series.

Murray stalked the sideline in a bright yellow hat, seemingly living and dying with every play. At times he appeared to be trash talking with Portland’s bench players (who responded with some unfriendly gestures.)

Finally, Murray gave us a wonderful new meme after disagreeing with a call late in the second.

Come along as we go recount the injured star’s eventful night …

Jamal Murray’s torn ACL is the most heartbreaking news for the Nuggets and NBA fans

This is the worst.

It was starting to feel like this might be the year for the Denver Nuggets to make a title run, with Nikola Jokic playing like an MVP who is nearly averaging a triple-double, new addition Aaron Gordon fitting in exactly how he was expected to after a trade from the Orlando Magic and — perhaps most importantly — Jamal Murray breaking through after last year’s amazing playoff run.

Now, not ALL of that has been put to a stop given the team’s depth. But with the news that Murray tore an ACL in his knee — something everyone feared after seeing him go down on Monday night clutching his left knee in the Nuggets’ loss to the Golden State Warriors — it’s a HUGE blow, and not just to this season.

With Gordon on board, the Nuggets lost twice since March 28. They had figured a lot out — Gordon fit in immediately on both ends of the floor, the light went on for Michael Porter Jr., and the two-man game between Jokic and Murray was beautiful:

The team with Murray at the point was FUN, and they had shot at winning a Western Conference that felt much more wide open than usual — are the Lakers going to contend if they’re not the top seed when LeBron and the Brow come back? Are the Jazz for real? Are the Suns too young? Are the Clips going to fall short in the postseason again? They were, for sure, contenders, and ones fans of non-contending teams could latch on to in the postseason.

Without Murray? I wonder if Monte Morris — he had 21 points against the Spurs last Friday — can pick up a little bit of the slack. But we’re getting close to the postseason and he’d need some time to gel. Could Michael Malone fiddle with a lineup that has Gordon running the point? Whatever the best solution is, it’s all heartbreaking if the Nuggets fall short.

And unfortunately, this could be a bigger problem for the franchise down the road given what could be a cap squeeze soon:

Awful. All around. Get well soon, Jamal.

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