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All-Star Midseason Report: Jamal Murray

An NBA player’s rookie season is never easy. Some of the adjustments from the college game are relatively small, like a farther three-point line and a larger court. But some are much tougher to cope with – the increased pace of the game, the back-to-backs slogs, and a league where every player was once the best player on his team.

Jamal Murray’s tasted both. He struggled early on and wouldn’t score his first field goal until Nov. 5 when he broke the drought, picking up 9 points against the Detroit Pistons. For a player who was well-known for his scoring ability at Kentucky, this was an inauspicious start.

Fast-forward to today and the Nuggets enter the All-Star break in possession of the Western Conference’s final playoff spot with the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, and New Orleans Pelicans nipping at their heels.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Murray, but he’s shown glimpses of the player he can become.

There was a three-game stretch in November where Murray dropped at least 20 points in each one. He’s also notched at least double-digits in 20 games this season and is poised to score plenty more.

In the month of February, Murray is averaging 12.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and is shooting 36.6% from three-point range. He’s also earned the trust of Head Coach Michael Malone, who is rewarding his rookie with more minutes. The league’s assistant coaches (and by extension, the league), have also taken notice. Murray was selected to the World Team roster of the 2017 Rising Stars Challenge along with Nikola Jokić, the league’s annual showcase of young talent.

Murray certainly isn’t content and is hungry for more. He’s been this way since his college days.

The next big challenge for Murray is looming right after the All-Star festivities: helping the Nuggets secure their spot in this year’s playoffs and beyond.