Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray told himself to “keep shooting” as he put together one of the best offensive performances of his NBA career.
The 6’4″ guard had 52 points and went 10-of-11 from beyond the arc in Wednesday’s 135-120 win over the Indiana Pacers.
“You’ve been doing this so long, there’s no need to oversimplify,” Murray told reporters of his mindset when the game was unfolding. “Just playing, having fun, playing, having fun.”
Nuggets guard Bruce Brown said he also quickly reached the conclusion he didn’t need to complicate his role in Denver’s offensive sets.
“Just give him the ball,” he told reporters of Murray. “Get out of the [way], go to the corner. If he need me, I’ll be open, but I’ll give it right back to him and just let him work.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder are on a record-setting pace with 21 wins through their first 22 games. In the race to claim the second seed in the Western Conference, the Nuggets are just a half-game behind the Los Angeles Lakers.
Murray has played a big part in Denver’s 15-6 start. He’s setting career highs in points (24.7), assists (6.6) and shooting percentages (50.3 overall and 45.2 on threes).
Nikola Jokić remains as dominant as ever and should once again be an MVP candidate. Last year’s playoff exit at the hands of the Thunder showed how Jokić alone can’t carry Denver to another title, though.
If Murray continues to be this productive on offense, the Nuggets will be a much more imposing squad in the postseason.