DENVER (AP) — Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray earned his first career All-Star berth in his ninth NBA season Sunday.
“When I saw that, so many things went through my mind, just multiple 50-point games, multiple 50-point games in the playoffs," Nuggets coach David Adelman said ahead of Denver's showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“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 and Nikola Jokic, who was named a starter last week, are the first pair of Nuggets teammates selected to an All-Star Game since 2010 when Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups both made it.
This year's All-Star Game is at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, next weekend.
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.
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.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
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)
