They would never admit it publicly, but the Denver Nuggets had to be pretty nervous about the way Jamal Murray started their 2024-25 season. They were willing to ignore a disappointing 2024 postseason and a disastrous Olympic run with Canada over the summer when they gave him a new max contract extension, but his performance early on barely lived up to his new compensation. Murray averaged just under 18 points per game on 42% shooting in his first 17 games this season. Good numbers for most players, but not acceptable for someone who earns what Murray earns.
On the heels of a second-round playoff exit, Denver lost starting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the offseason. They lost Bruce Brown and Jeff Green a year earlier after winning the NBA qualification. If they wanted to overcome those absences, they needed their best players to give them more, not less. But the recurring effects of injuries that began last season took their toll. Murray had problems and so did the team.
But over the last month, Murray has slowly been regaining his form. In his last 15 outings, Murray is once again above 20 points per game. Denver is 10-5 in those games. Murray gets to the rim more often and shoots a better percentage once he gets there. However, the most important thing is that all 3 are starting to fall again. He’s shooting 42% of them in that stretch, and on Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks, Murray did just about everything, particularly in the first half.
The balance in 24 minutes: 32 points with 12 of 15 shots and 4 of 6 in triples. Murray’s season high for a complete game through Tuesday was 34 points. The 32 he scored in the first half against Dallas were good enough for second place on their own.
And when the final buzzer sounded in Denver’s 118-99 victory, Murray had scored 45 points on 18-of-26 shooting. It was his best individual scoring effort since tying his career high of 50 on February 19, 2021.
Murray’s resurgence key to Denver’s title hopes
Yes, the Mavericks were without rim protector Dereck Lively for most of the half Tuesday, but Murray’s shots came from everywhere. He took two shots in the restricted area, four in the rest of the paint, four from mid-range and four from behind the arc. This is the type of varied scoring game that has made Murray so dangerous in the past. His two-man game with Nikola Jokic has been so dominant in part because of his unpredictability. Both can score and help each other from anywhere on the court, but a lame Murray couldn’t do his part.
But now he’s slowly starting to regain his form, and that has significant implications for the Nuggets and the rest of the league. Even if roughly 20 points per game doesn’t sound especially impressive, remember that Murray has never surpassed 21.2 per game in a full season. He has never posted eye-catching numbers in the regular season. What matters here is your health. The fact that he’s starting to play in line with his typical regular-season level suggests he’ll be ready to make a run in the playoffs like he almost always has.
Before last season, Murray was averaging 25 points per game in the playoffs. That’s the version of Murray that won Denver a championship, and that’s the one the Nuggets hope can peak when the weather warms up. This improvement is the first real sign the Nuggets have had all season that it’s coming.
What if he does? That changes Denver’s entire trade deadline calculus. The Nuggets have been linked to star guards like Zach LaVine in part because Murray’s struggles hinted at a need to create more shots. They certainly still need help on their bench, but their top lineups, with Murray and Jokic, have thrived offensively over this stretch. Denver has very little to deal with and is already pressed against the second apron. If the Nuggets can avoid a major roster overhaul, they would probably prefer to do so.
This version of Murray makes that option a little more palatable. If this continues, a Nuggets team that appeared to be in significant decline might, after all, get back into the Western Conference title race.
