Murray drops 42 points, eight triples vs. Pelicans

After going off for 42 points in Saturday’s win over the Pelicans, Murray cooled off a bit on Monday. However, he still shot well; the final line reflected lower shot volume and his inability to get to the foul line. After attempting 13 free throws against New Orleans, Murray didn’t attempt any against the Warriors. Monday’s outcome aside, Murray’s gotten off to a good individual start this season.

Murray shot 2-of-9 from the field in the first half of Thursday’s season opener. Unfortunately for fantasy managers who likely believed that things couldn’t get worse in the second half, they did. Murray scored just one point after halftime and recorded more turnovers (four) than field-goal attempts (two). With the Nuggets playing just two games during Week 1, fantasy managers will hope to see Murray rebound on Saturday against the Pelicans.

Murray and the other Nuggets starters were shut down at halftime of Wednesday’s game, their penultimate preseason contest. He looked sharp, shooting 75 percent from the field overall. No matter how much Murray plays in Friday’s finale against the Lakers, his fantasy outlook won’t change much. He’s worth a second-round pick in 12-team formats.

All five third-team selections were named All-NBA for the first time in their respective careers on Sunday. Duren’s selection may be the most impactful, as he’ll hit restricted free agency next month. The All-NBA selection makes him eligible for a max deal worth up to $287 million over five years. However, given his struggles during the postseason and the Pistons’ need to also address Ausar Thompson’s future, Duren may not strike it that rich this summer. Especially with other teams unable to offer a deal on par with what the Pistons can.

Murray struggled on Thursday on both ends of the floor. On offense, the length of Jaden McDaniels sure had an impact, as the veteran point guard had more missed shots than total points. He was also attacked as a one-on-one defender repeatedly down the stretch, ultimately allowing some key Minnesota baskets to close the game. While Murray had a tough time finding his rhythm throughout the series, he had a phenomenal regular season, averaging 25.4 points, 7.1 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.3 three-pointers, which were all career bests. He turned in one of his better fantasy seasons and should be able to perform at a high level again next season.

Murray and the Nuggets lost the second half of Game 4 by 20 points even with the Timberwolves missing multiple starters. Denver was able to turn the page in Game 5. Murray had 24 points, seven assists and four steals in the win. The Nuggets will have to win Game 6 on the road to keep their season alive on Thursday.

Like Nikola Jokić, Game 4 was a tale of two halves for Murray. He shot 5-of-14 from the field in the second half, and the Nuggets were outscored 62-42. Due to Saturday’s defeat, the Nuggets’ season will be on the line when they host Game 5 on Monday. Given how shorthanded the Timberwolves will be, that sets up to be a big night for Murray. That said, many likely assumed Murray would go off in the second half after the Timberwolves lost Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo on Saturday.

Murray had by far his worst game of the series on Thursday. He struggled with the length of Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels throughout the contest and failed to generate many clean looks. Murray didn’t convert any of his three-point attempts in Game 3, and in addition to his scoring struggles, produced only four assists. Denver’s offense couldn’t figure out Minnesota’s defense in Game 3, and it’ll need to be much better on Saturday.

Murray had it rolling early in Game 2, capping a 23-point first half with a half-court shot as time expired to end the second quarter. However, the Timberwolves buckled down defensively, limiting the Nuggets’ guard to seven second-half points. Murray’s miss of a challenged mid-range jumper led to a Donte DiVincenzo dunk that extended Minnesota’s lead to five with just under four seconds remaining, ending the game. Murray scored 30 points in both games in Denver, but Game 2 felt far different because of the subpar second half.

Murray was ice-cold from beyond the arc in Game 1, missing all eight of his attempts. However, he shot 50 percent from the field and was a frequent visitor to the foul line. The Nuggets guard made all 16 of his attempts at the line, resulting in a 30-point game in Saturday’s series opener. Denver will host Game 2 on Monday at 10:30 PM Eastern on NBA and Peacock.