Breaking down a disappointing season for Jamal Murray | Pickaxe and Roll
On the latest episode of Pickaxe and Roll, Ryan Blackburn shares his final thoughts on the Denver Nuggets split series against the San Antonio Spurs, including Nikola Jokic winning Player of the Week for his efforts. Then, he does a deep dive on Jamal Murray and the numbers he’s put up this season. What should Nuggets fans make of Murray’s ongoing inconsistency? Then, Ryan previews the Nuggets vs Boston Celtics matchup Tuesday night and how it’s a measuring stick game for Denver.
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26 Comments
Just hope Nuggets don't get embarrassed by the Celtics. Expectations for Murray are low–cost Jokic and Nuggets one chip already and now working on costing Jokic another MVP.
Good show Ryan
Murray is super overrated. There's a reason why he's never been an all-star. Take Joker away and he'd be a good role player borderline bench player. He should be on 20mil a year.
Murray is simply converging on his career average of 17/4/4. Ultimately it doesn't matter why he's the way he is, it's the management that is responsible for keeping the team's options open. Giving him a long term max contract is a fireable offense in my view. They overpaid for a mediocre player and now, because of politics, they have to keep playing him just because they paid so much for him. This organization deserves to go bankrupt, and I just wish Jokic was the kind of guy that would request a trade next season.
when you are being paid 50 mil a year then you need to show up every game and not just post season . Yea murray needs to be humbeld and he can cut the attitude until he actually starts playing good . Right now he is acticng like a little princess .
Ryan, celtics fan here. Really enjoyed your show and looking forward to the matchup
Why i love MPJ? Guy wants to learn and be better. He took every critique seriously and tried to be better. His playmaking is better, his rebounding is better, his shot selection is better.
Aaaaaand you have Jamal Murray, who has played like garbage two years already, and his response is: I don't see any problem.
One question, who has better season Russ or Jamal?
15th highest paid player in the NBA….😂😮😂😮😢 Well, he isn't anywhere close to being the 15th best. And he is not being held sufficiently accountable for that. Very good analysis by Ryan.
Murray is in coast mode. His work ethic was hitting the skids the Nuggets fans could see and didn’t want to sign him for all star money. Jokic made them and the coach rich so why not get another great raw athlete and let Jokic make him rich too?
Celtic shot 19% from the 3 line the other day in the lose to OKC. Hope the Nuggets game is not the opposite of that. Potter 2 best offensive play, still has defensive problems. Jokic is already better the Lebron. If drafting a team I take Jokic over Lebron with out thought. Who do you take Ryan? Have 10 players I would take over Lebron. Not even a top 10 player. Stuck with Murray but not stuck with Booth and thats the problem. Don't need stat's to know Murray is just average. Knew that last year. I watch the games Booth. Huff killing it so can we give Dario Šarić a few weeks of solid play and just see what he can do for 20 million. Something Huff never got a chance to do. Huff was +18 last night Malone. May be Murray will get hot tonight. God knows he do. Stop with the more 3 talk. We got Jokic get to the hoop.
Nuggets perimeter is free. We might see another game like "the knicks historical 3pts game".
Murray could have a good offensive season playing next to Westbrook but he doesn’t seem to have bought into that idea.
I think this is just a combination of that and his usually seasonal slump.
hes just a bum no need to spend more time describing him
A third spade of a team paid as a superstar. Murray's contract is the grave of the Denver Nuggets. Murray has become a player who doesn't give you more than 15-18 points, making many bad decisions and not being a great defender.
instead of becoming DEN legend (at the least – striving to) – Jamal became a DEN problem.
Childish, immature, embarrassing.
and yes – Jamal IS a `Jokic merchant`. So is Malone.
But, kudos to you for being an exception in the sc `den media` and pointing out some/most facts (very unflattering) about Jamal. I don`t expect him taking many questions from you in the future pressers. But KUDOS again – `tell the truth, so heaven may fall`.
As a former athlete – I can say that Jamal problem is character/maturity. Ive seen it many times – player comes to a season unprepared and big(and empty)headed, injuries ensue, and in most cases – never gets to 100% – health and conditioning wise. More – that puts poison in the well – other players see it and it becomes a thorn in everyone`s side. damages relationships and the whole lockerroom. Especially if that player is critical for team`s success.
Jamal`s situation is even more drastic – he does not appreciate the fact that he has a chance to play with one of the goats in his prime. he shows NO RESPECT or a sense of responsibility either.
At his age (and support system) – this is not common, kids usually grow up fast in hard competition conditions. Jamal shows no signs of growth – not in skills, capability, ability and not in personality.
he IS stuck. And so is DEN.
Knowing a bit about Serb mentality… I can only imagine how disappointed and angry Jokic feels about it.
MPJ and Jokic almost always play at the level we expect, and more recently, they play better than we expect. Gordon is also consistent in his role. We need defense and 3 pt. I believe the defense can be worked on, and we will see a major improvement on that front when Gordon returns. Three pt shooting can also be improved in Jokic and MPJ put up a few more, and then one of like four guys can achieve some consistency: Braun, Peyton, Gordon or Murray. Since Murray is apparently not cut out to play pt guard at the level we expected – whereas Westbrook is way better at it in every single facet – perhaps Murray can learn to shoot threes consistently. He's useless in everything else. Shooting threes does not require ball movement. He's so fucking awful. Also, Ryan, what can we conclude about the Nuggets front office on the basis of Murray being so overpaid, and paying two guys who are not even playable… at least two. Are they the worst front office in the West?
For the record, maybe Murray is not the problem because he's never really been an All Star player. Maybe the front office is really the problem. You don't pay someone that much to show up – POSSIBLY – in the playoffs. I don't think that will happen again because his weaknesses have been exposed. He is an above average player in his role, but not really good enough to be a number 2 on this team. The problem is that he's not getting better, whereas MPJ is getting better. I think we are all much more confident with MPJ taking a shot. Efficiency is a huge problem for Murray. He has never been efficient. And he does not have an overall impact on the game, as does Westbrook. Again, I would argue that perhaps we made a mistake for believing or expecting him to do something that is not in him. The team should not have committed at that level to him.
Another thing… if I were Murray, I would be on the court incessantly right now, trying to improve my game. I don't get the sense that he's doing that. Malone needs to recognize that Murray is NOT the caliber of player the Nuggets needs to get the team to contend. I believe Westbrook is that caliber. Maybe the team can say to Westbrook, if you get us there, we will give you X dollars. Murray should be the 6th man on this team, given how he is playing. That is the reality of the situation. Unfortunately.
By the way, Ryan, I wrote my screeds below out of rage, at the top of your podcast, before I heard what you would say. Thus, I essentially made the same points you would make, most of them, before I knew you would make them. That is just further confirmation that you are correct. I do not think Murray will get better because he has had plenty of time to do so, and it is not happening. The Nuggets must confront its mistake, and a mistake it was. Murray NEVER instilled the level confidence that he deserves anywhere close to the money he is getting.
Sorry so many comments… Despite the profound front office mismanagement of this team, it instills confidence that despite the problems discussed on this show, it is amazing that the Nugs are in fourth place because it does not feel that way. What does that tell us? If Peyton and Braun improve in the coming month or two, which is realistic, and if MPJ continues to play as he has been, a Jokic/Westbrook oriented core, plus Gordon, MPJ and Braun/Peyton can actually make the Nuggets contenders. That is the ONLY way the Nuggets can be contenders. Murray would be very good as a sixth man. That is what he is. The problem is that confronting the reality of Murray is perhaps too painful for Malone, management and ownership. Everyone fucked up, and it is easier to keep hoping than to cut their losses. I believe the Nuggets can get there.
Whoever believes that Murray's troubles can be rectified through focus, or as we often say "he needs to show up", has a misplaced belief in his abilities. Murray has never been that guy. He would be considered EXCELLENT in the role of catch and shoot as he has a few moves, but he sucks in the role of a ball-handing guard. He is good enough to make a couple of plays per night, and that's it. Great guards and can turn it on whenever. Y'all, we read way too much into him on the basis of a few post season games.
Simply the best take on Jamal Murray by any writer or analyst. Well done.
Great episode Ryan. Dont let Jamal bully you in the press room. He owes the fans more than he's given us lately and we're grateful for your voice
I like Ryan’s analysis let’s add more context here tho. Think about the players with the usage rate being compared to Murray. Those players ain’t passing the ball especially in clutch time and not playing defense. Murray’s defensive numbers and assists are really exaggerated
We really needed Mirray to be Jokics Tony Parker. But your right it's not looking so good any more. Hes actually going backwards