The Denver Nuggets’ 2-1 beginning to the 2025-26 NBA season can be attributed to the spectacular individual output from their 2023 NBA champion guard and bonafide playoff star, Jamal Murray.
Following his electric 43-point performance in a 124-111 victory against the Anthony Edwards-less Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night, the skilled 28-year-old offensive initiator could be well on his way towards completing a daunting goal: to finally provide Denver’s 3-time MVP Nikola Jokić with an All-Star teammate.
On the season, Murray has ascended to another stratosphere with regard to both his scoring volume and efficiency, and it appears that he won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
In his first three contests of the new season, the 6-foot-4 combo-guard has averaged an absurd 30.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists while connecting on 42.9% of his 7.0 attempts from three-point range and 92.3% of his chances at the free-throw line.
His latest scoring masterpiece came against a formidable opponent in the Timberwolves and their rising star forward Jaden McDaniels, last season’s No. 6 ranked defensive unit (110.8 defensive rating in 2024-25) and a 2024 All-Defensive Second Team selection.
Murray took full advantage of his chance to avenge the Nuggets’ seven-game 2024 Western Conference Semi-Finals defeat against Minnesota on by pouring in 43 points, grabbing six rebounds and dishing three assists on 55.2% shooting from the floor.
After authoring such a performance against the likes of McDaniels and the Timberwolves’ 4-time Defensive Player of the Year center Rudy Gobert, the Nuggets’ former No. 7 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft could finally be ready to make an All-Star leap and join Jokić for the NBA’s mid-season All-Star festivities.
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