Nuggets president Josh Kroenke talked about Jamal Murray's unforgettable Olympic campaign in Canada.
Murray has been battling various injuries at key times in the basketball calendar this year.
In the 2023-24 playoffs, Murray averaged 20.6 points per game on 40.2 percent shooting from the field and 31.5 percent from three.
Then in Paris, his production got even worse, after scoring just six points per game on 29 percent shooting from the field and 14.3 percent from three.
This is a far cry from his average of 26.1 points on 47.3 percent shooting from the field and 39.6 percent from deep during the Nuggets' championship postseason campaign.
Granted, Murray suffered a calf injury in the first-round series against the Lakers, and then an elbow injury in the Western Conference finals against the Wolves.
The president of the Nuggets, Kroenke, believes that the injury is the only reason why Murray is not doing well in the world.
“When you're competing against the best in the world, whether it's in the NBA playoffs or the Olympics, you're going to get (opponents) better shots. And if you're not 100 percent and you know you still want to be there, you'll try to fight it like Jamal …,” he told. The Denver Post.
“But I know he wasn't 100%. I know bringing him back is a big step to see Jamal triple double in the NBA Finals. “
He went on to explain how the injuries to Murray and others at the end of the season hurt the Nuggets who are defending the title.
“For me especially, since I would like to focus on the end of the season or the playoffs or the Olympics, I tend to think even one step higher. You think about it (in terms) of the last few years,” Kroenke said. “The number of games he's played – the number of games all our guys have played – and the wear and tear on their bodies. So I think that showed up towards the end of the regular season. Definitely in the playoffs. And Jamal was very happy too. I think that's something that's underestimated because of how strong he is as a person. He was playing dings, some really good dings, that would probably put a lot of people off. “
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