It’s pretty easy to make a case for Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic when you’re talking about the early season NBA Most Valuable Player. Jokic is averaging more than 29 points per game, while leading the NBA in assists (11.0) and rebounds (12.4) per game as well. He’s already won the award three times in the past five seasons, finishing second the other two years. You can toss in an NBA Finals MVP award when Denver won the NBA title back in 2023 as well.
Denver is off to a franchise record 17-6 start this season, including a 10-game road winning streak which is also a franchise record. For some perspective, back in 2023 when they won the first championship in team history, the Nuggets finished a mediocre 19-22 away from home.
Jokic’s continued fantastic play has been critical to Denver’s success as it always is. He is the textbook definition of what an MVP truly is. But what has really pushed the team to its best start ever is the play of guard Jamal Murray.
Jamal Murray’s Fast Start Boosting Denver
In past seasons, the Kentucky product has had issues staying healthy, especially early in the season. This year he’s off to a fantastic start, averaging almost 25 points per game while leading the Nuggets in minutes played per game. He’s also averaging almost seven assists per game with just two and half turnovers.
A recently concluded three-game eastern swing saw Denver win all three, led by Murray’s dominant scoring. After putting up 52 in a win over the defending Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers, he added 23 points and 12 assists in a win over Atlanta, and 34 points and five assists in a win in Charlotte.
During his 10-year career, Murray has been at his best in the postseason, earning the nickname “Playoff Jamal.” But despite a history of playoff heroics, Murray has never been selected to an NBA All-Star team. In fact, the future Hall of Famer Jokic has never played alongside another current All-Star during his decade in Denver.
Both of those things could be changing.
New NBA All-Star Format Gives Murray a Better Shot at Getting Picked
The NBA has adopted a new format for it’s lagging All-Star game. This year, rather than East v West or “Team LeBron v Team Giannis” they’ll finally join the trend toward international competition and have a series of “USA v The World” games in mid-February. There will be two All-American teams made up of eight players each, and one eight-man team made up of international players. Murray, who is from Canada, hopes to be chosen for “Team World.”
While Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama – provided they’re all healthy and opt in – are pretty much locks to be part of the international team roster, three more spots need to be filled. Could Murray finally get selected for the international squad for his solid start to the season?
There will be plenty of competition for those spots. Pascal Siakam from the Indiana Pacers would certainly be a favorite, as would Houston big man Alperen Şengün. Chicago’s Josh Giddy is off to a great start and could a selection as well. The selections will be made regardless of a player’s position, but don’t expect “Team World” to go into the games shorthanded at the guard position. For that reason, Murray has perhaps his best chance ever at getting selected.
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