Jamal Murray hits three triples, scores 19 points

Murray has been on a tear since the season opener. He was held to just six points in that game but has averaged 31.6 points, 6.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 5.4 triples while shooting 52.1 percent from the floor and 52.9 percent from deep in their five games since. This was his third game with at least 35 points in that stretch, and while it wasn’t enough for them to win, he continues to be a fantasy star and will look to stay hot against the Raptors on Wednesday.

Jamal Murray was an absolute monster in the third quarter, getting 15 points and was the reason they got secure lead. He got to the line 15 times and hit them at 80% which should be a nice boost to your FT% category. He’s been what you hoped for if you drafted him in the top 20 this season. He won’t shoot this efficiently every night, but barring injury he’ll continue to do what he’s doing.

Murray has been consistently good on offense since scoring six points on 2-of-11 shooting in Denver’s season-opening loss to the Thunder. In Denver’s last three games, the Nuggets guard has shot 50.9 percent from the field while averaging 28 points per game. While the 42-point masterclass against the Pelicans has boosted the scoring average, Murray’s efficiency has been excellent. The Nuggets finish Week 2 with a road game against the Suns on Friday night.

After being held to just six points in the season opener, Murray bounced back in a big way in this game. He led Denver in scoring and accounted for over half of their three-pointers. He wasn’t able to get any offense going in overtime, but it was his heroics at the end of the game that forced the extra frame. He’ll look to carry this offensive production into Monday’s matchup with the Warriors, and fantasy managers shouldn’t expect to see many more six-point outings from him.

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.