Denver has signed their superstar’s pick-and-roll partner to a four-year, $208 million contract. Jamal Murray, the Nuggets’ Robin to Batman, will remain with the team for the foreseeable future. While it appears to be a flawless plan on paper, how well will it actually work? Of course, Nikola Jokic delivers, but how about our resident Canadian?
What seems to be the problem, you ask? Okay, two things. There are two characteristics about Murray that have caused some NBA insiders to question, as previously stated. Chiney Ogwumike joined NBA Today to discuss whether retaining Denver’s star guard has effectively transformed the team into a feared club in the league.
Dave McMenamin, to whom the inquiry was directed, provided a simple explanation. And it didn’t go well for Murray. “What we know is that his body fails him,” the ESPN commentator explained. Last season, the 27-year-old played only 59 games due to a variety of injuries. And, while he appeared in all 12 of Denver’s playoff games, there were some noticeable discomforts.
For example, in Game 4 against the Lakers, Murray grabbed his leg at the end. Despite pushing through the agony, his condition was soon marked as uncertain due to a calf strain. Not to add that his shooting percentage has dropped below his regular level (29.4% from three games vs Los Angeles). In 12 games, Murray shot 40.2% from the field and 31.5% from downtown.
This comes from a 6’4 guard who has a lifetime (playoffs) shooting percentage of 45.9% from the field and 38.9% from behind the arc. Needless to say, the squad suffered as their second-best player shot terribly. Add to that the fact that they had already depended heavily on their starters to propel the game forward. On that note, we get to the second flaw: his form.
“He’s only had a few opportunities to demonstrate his potential… Guess what? Not a fantastic second round, and an even worse summer if we include the Olympics. You shoot 29% and average six points for Canada. “Canada went into the Olympics as one of the favourites to win a medal, and they came back without one,” McMenamin explained.
While Dave made it apparent that the former Kentucky player posed no threat to the league, he did have someone else in mind.
Nikola Jokic, not Jamal Murray, makes the league think twice about going head to head with the Nuggets.
“They’re afraid of Nikola Jokic,” McMenamin said. Of course, at first glance, it’s difficult to determine what exactly is in the Serbian to be aware of. But everyone who knows ‘The Joker’ knows that his floppy, horse-loving personality should not be mistaken for incompetence. In fact, it is the opposite.
Dave had the perfect illustration. Jokic, who represented his country at the Paris Olympics, practically forced Team USA to confront their biggest fears. From their first group game to the semi-finals versus USA-B, Nikola Jokic delivered a brilliant performance. Serbia’s match against South Sudan and Australia was just magnificent, and the figures don’t do Jokic justice!
