Following the Denver Nuggets’ historic sweep of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, Nikola Jokic was appropriately named the MVP of the Western Conference Finals. Nevertheless, despite Jokic’s outstanding performance, others contend that Jamal Murray deserves at least equal praise for his performances throughout the series, if not more.
"We're just trying to win a championship… We win the championship, everybody eats."
Jamal Murray when asked about not winning the Magic Johnson WCF MVP awardpic.twitter.com/SviqAO7r5w
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 26, 2023
While Murray doesn’t appear to care that he didn’t win the WCF MVP award. Murray had an open response when questioned about giving up the accolade to his superstar teammate and maybe the NBA Finals MVP award as well, highlighting the group’s overall objective:
“We’re just trying to win a championship. All that comes after you win a championship. If we were to lose, no one gets that trophy, right? We win the championship, everybody eats. I’m just excited to see everybody succeed.”
Murray’s viewpoint emphasizes his team-first attitude. Personal success takes a second seat to the Nuggets’ overarching goal of winning their first-ever franchise championship.
Nevertheless, it’s important to point out that Murray gave a standout performance throughout the entire series. Against the Lakers, he averaged 32.5 points on a remarkable 52.7 percent shooting clip, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. Without a doubt, these figures merit consideration for the series MVP award. To add to their roster’s strength, the Nuggets also have Nikola Jokic, a tremendous talent.
In the end, his attention is still on capturing a championship, displaying his unselfish approach and commitment to helping the Nuggets achieve their legendary accomplishment.
Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic duo
The Denver Nuggets were led to the NBA Finals by the unstoppable combo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Many people have praised them for their outstanding achievements, including JJ Redick, who thinks they are the league’s top tandem.
Redick praised Murray and Jokic and emphasized how well their skill sets complement one another. The pair’s domination in the playoffs has made it difficult for opponents to counteract their two-man style. The Denver Nuggets have proven their tenacity by sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers despite early skepticism, with Jokic and Murray continually turning in excellent performances. They are the only teammates to feature on the scoring leaderboard and are among the top scorers in the playoffs.
The success of the Nuggets is not just dependent on player contributions. The squad excels when Jokic and Murray are on the floor together, as seen by their lineup statistics, outscoring opponents by an astonishing 11.4 points per 100 possessions.
The Denver Nuggets are now waiting to see how the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics’ series plays out after securing their historic berth in the Finals. The championship-caliber team of Jokic and Murray presents a huge challenge no matter the opponent. While the Celtics have Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and the Heat have Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, Redick points out that executing plays for the Celtics players simultaneously is difficult, giving the Nuggets’ dynamic combination the advantage.
Should Murray win MVP?
Jamal Murray has been a force to be reckoned with throughout the 2023 playoffs, averaging an impressive 27.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.5 rebounds in 15 games. His performances have been nothing short of MVP-level, showcasing his scoring prowess and playmaking abilities.
However, despite Murray’s outstanding MVP-level contributions, he has been overshadowed by the brilliance of his teammate Nikola Jokic, who rightfully earned the Western Conference Finals MVP award. Jokic’s impact on the court has been undeniable, and his all-around game has propelled the Denver Nuggets to new heights.
While Murray is currently not MVP-worthy and has not received the individual recognition he deserves, his importance to the team’s success cannot be understated. His scoring ability and leadership have been crucial factors in the Nuggets’ playoff run. Together with Jokic, Murray forms a formidable duo that has propelled the Nuggets to their historic NBA Finals appearance.
