DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic will finally see a familiar face at the NBA All-Star Game.
Jamal Murray earned his first career All-Star berth in his ninth season Sunday. He and Jokic, who was named a starter last week, are the first pair of Denver Nuggets teammates selected to an All-Star Game since 2010 when Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups both made it.
“It feels really good,” Jokic said. “He's been playing at a really high level the last two years. ... It's good for him to be there because he's supposed to be there.”
Murray said he was taking his pregame nap when friends video-called him with the news that he’d been selected to play in the All-Star game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, next weekend.
He has long said that if he were to make an All-Star Game, he'd take it competitively and seriously, suggesting he'd rather vacation than play in the game if it's just a no-defense display of teams burning up the nets.
“I'm down to play 1-on-1, I don't care, I'm just a competitor," Murray said. "So I want to be known as one of those guys who's going to play hard every time he steps on the court.”
Asked what's the first shot he wants to take next Sunday, Murray deadpanned: “Half-court, full-court.”
How does that jibe with his let's-be-serious approach?
“I'm going to make it, though,” he said with a laugh.
It's been a long time coming for Murray to get his All-Star invite, Denver coach David Adelman said.
“When I saw that, so many things went through my mind, just multiple 50-point games, multiple 50-point games in the playoffs," Adelman said ahead of Denver's showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder, which they lost 121-111.
“Let's see, triple-double in the Finals, NBA champion, most wins in the West over the last 10 years, he's the point guard of that team, 55-point (game) last year, (career-high) 17 assists (in a game) this year, NBA All-Star,” Adelman added. “So, in my mind, all of those things make sense, except for the one that was missing. So, maybe All-NBA, maybe he'll be considered.”
Murray, 28, is averaging career highs in points (25.8), shooting percentage (49.2), 3-point percentage (44.7), rebounds (4.3) and assists (7.4) this season while leading the Nuggets through an injury epidemic that has sidelined Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, Cam Johnson, and Jonas Valanciunas, among others.
Murray helped the Nuggets navigate the loss of Jokic for 16 games during which they went a surprising 10-6 to keep pace in the Western Conference.
Murray has already topped 30 points 13 times this season, besting his previous career mark of 11, and he's one of a dozen players in the league to score 50 or more points in a game this season. He also has 11 games with double-digit assists, marking a career single-season high.
“Well, well, well deserving. He’s playing (crazy) this year,” Thunder star and fellow Canadian All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said after Oklahoma City’s 121-111 victory over Denver on Sunday night.
This will also be the first time two Canadian players will play in the NBA All-Star Game.
“For Canada basketball, it’s just cool," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Like growing up, it was never in a million years.”
Last month, Murray won Western Conference Player of the Week (Dec. 8) honors for the first time in his career, and he and Jokic are two of the five NBA players averaging 25 points, seven assists and four rebounds per game.
Murray showed up to training camp in better physical shape this year, and Adelman said he also arrived with a sharper mind.
“Your body is at its best when it's not just the physical part, it's your mind,” Adelman said. "And he's played the game so clean. ... I think it's his body, but I also think it's his mind. He's just not fighting anything, he's just playing. And the guy's so talented, when he takes what's given to him, so much success can happen.
“Everything about him this year has been really fun to watch and watching him grow up and to have this moment for him, long time coming and he'll represent our team well in Los Angeles.”
A native of Kitchener, Ontario, Murray was the seventh overall selection in the 2016 NBA draft out of Kentucky.
“I wouldn't trade him for anybody,” Jokic said. “Whenever I say who's the top-5 of my career, he's definitely No. 1. So, we have a great relationship on the floor. There's so, so many good moments — bad moment, too — but that's what creates good moments. So, it's a pleasure to have him over there.”
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Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, center, drives to the basket between Los Angeles Clippers centers Ivica Zubac, left, and John Collins (20) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray reacts after dunking the ball for a basket and drawing a foul in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, right, drives past Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton in the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Charlotte's surge to at least the play-in tournament and possibly the playoffs in the Eastern Conference has been fueled in large part by the 3-point shot.
And by season's end, it's well within reach that the top two 3-point shooters in the NBA this season — at least in terms of makes — both might be wearing Hornets uniforms.
Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel leads the NBA with his Hornets-record 261 made 3s so far this season, and LaMelo Ball is currently third in the league with 243 makes from beyond the arc. Between them: the Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic, who is set to miss some time with a hamstring injury.
Knueppel already has the NBA record for 3s made by a rookie as well.
“He definitely needs to celebrate,” Hornets coach Charles Lee said.
If Knueppel and Ball finish 1-2 in the final standings for made 3s, they would become the second set of teammates in NBA history to hold down the top two spots on that list for a full season. The other, as one would likely guess, were the “Splash Brothers” — Golden State's Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, who finished first and second in the season standings in four consecutive seasons from 2013-14 through 2016-17 (and nearly did it in 2012-13 as well).
Other pairings have come close. Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce were second and third in made 3s for Boston in 2001-02 (behind Ray Allen, the then-future Celtic who was playing for Milwaukee at the time). And in 1992-93, Phoenix's Dan Majerle tied Indiana's Reggie Miller for the made-3s title, with Suns teammate Danny Ainge finishing third.
Here's what we know so far regarding the NBA playoff field for this season.
— Eastern Conference playoff teams: Detroit, Boston, New York, Cleveland are in. At this point, Atlanta and Philadelphia would get the other two guaranteed spots but those are not clinched.
— East play-in teams: Nobody is locked into the play-in yet, but entering Friday, the four teams headed there are Toronto, Charlotte, Orlando and Miami.
— East eliminated teams: Milwaukee, Chicago, Indiana, Brooklyn and Washington.
— Western Conference playoff teams: Oklahoma City, San Antonio, the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver and Houston are in. Minnesota is likely to grab the sixth and final guaranteed spot.
— West play-in teams: Phoenix is probably going to the play-in tournament. Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State definitely are.
— West eliminated teams: Memphis, New Orleans, Dallas, Utah and Sacramento.
— Hornets 127, Suns 107: Charlotte clinches no worse than a .500 record.
— Pistons 113, Timberwolves 108: Detroit closing in on East No. 1 seed.
— Thunder 139, Lakers 96: Luka Doncic hurt, Lakers tie 7th-biggest loss in team history.
— Cavaliers 118, Warriors 111: Cleveland on brink of clinching top-4 seed.
— Trail Blazers 118, Pelicans 106: Portland made 20 3s, New Orleans made nine.
— Spurs 118, Clippers 99: Victor Wembanyama sits, Spurs win 11th straight anyway.
— Indiana at Charlotte: A winning record this season is going to get Hornets’ coach Charles Lee some award votes.
— Minnesota at Philadelphia: Massive implications seeding-wise for both teams.
— Atlanta at Brooklyn: Hawks closing in on Southeast Division title, possibly No. 5 seed.
— Chicago at New York: Knicks nearing the 50-win mark yet again.
— Utah at Houston: The Rockets know they can’t afford a slipup in this spot.
— Toronto at Memphis: Raptors need a few wins down the stretch to avoid play-in.
— Boston at Milwaukee: Bucks coach Doc Rivers faces his former team, a day before expected Hall of Fame formal announcement.
— Orlando at Dallas: Magic coach Jamahl Mosley enjoyed a lot of nights when he was on the Mavs’ staff. He desperately needs one of those good nights here.
— New Orleans at Sacramento: A pair of teams building for the future.
— Washington at Miami: Bam Adebayo scored 83 against the Wizards last month. The rematch!
— San Antonio at Denver: Wembanyama vs. Nikola Jokic in potential West playoff pairing.
— Detroit at Philadelphia: Sorry, Detroit. Michigan-Arizona Final Four game tips off during this one.
Friday on NBA TV: Chicago-New York.
Saturday on Prime: San Antonio-Denver.
Saturday on NBA TV: Detroit-Philadelphia.
Oklahoma City (+135) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed by Boston (+550), San Antonio (+550), Denver (+1100), Cleveland (+1200) and New York (+1600). Detroit, on its way to the No. 1 seed in the East, is +2500.
— April 10: All 30 teams play their 81st games of the season.
— April 12: All 30 teams play their regular season finales.
— April 14, 15 and 17: NBA play-in tournament dates.
— April 18 and 19: NBA playoff series openers.
— May 2, 3 or 4: Conference semifinals begin.
— May 10: NBA draft lottery.
— May 10-17: NBA draft combine.
— May 17 or 19: Eastern Conference finals begin on ESPN and ABC.
— May 18 or 20: Western Conference finals begin on NBC and Peacock.
— June 3: Game 1, NBA Finals on ABC. (Other finals dates: June 5, June 8, June 10, June 13, June 16 and June 19).
The Thunder had 14 different players score in their win over the Lakers on Thursday night. There have been only seven games in NBA history, including playoffs, where a team saw more players score at least one point in the same game.
The Spurs are 27-2 since Feb. 1 — and have picked up only 3 1/2 games on Oklahoma City (23-5) in that span. (By the way, the best record in the East since that date belongs to Atlanta at 20-6.)
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić, left, struggles to field a pass as Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green defends in the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) looks for a play against Utah Jazz guard John Konchar (55) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray)
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) holds the ball away from Utah Jazz guard John Konchar during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray)
Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson, left, is fouled by Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) dunks against the Atlanta Hawks in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 30, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Toronto Raptors centre Jakob Poeltl (front) is fouled by Orlando Magic centre Goga Bitadze (back left) as Magic forward Paolo Banchero (right) looks on during first half NBA action in Toronto on Sunday, March 29, 2026. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, drives against Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, March 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
