Kevin Durant’s Jaw-Dropping Praise for Jamal Murray as the NBA’s Supreme Shot Maker

Jamal Murray wasted no time reinforcing expectations for his Denver Nuggets after a Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals. It was on brand for the kind of player he’d become for them.

“We just came up short tonight,” Murray said after confirming his belief that the Nuggets were capable of another title. “(We’re going to) get back in the gym and get back to it for next year.”

Nuggets star Nikola Jokić’s response was more jaded.

“I mean we didn’t (win a championship),” he said, “so, obviously we can’t.”

Denver’s brass got to work on improving the Nuggets’ roster around Jokić, Murray over the offseason to ensure their contention window remained open. Changes included trading Michael Porter Jr. for Cameron Johnson, bringing back fan-favorite Bruce Brown and working through a contract dispute with Jonas Valančiūnas to add frontcourt depth.

According to Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant, Murray remains among the most dangerous pieces of Denver’s roster.

Last season, Murray averaged 21.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and six assists on 47 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from 3, marking his best offensive season since joining the Nuggets in 2016.

Durant emphasized Murray’s shot-making ability when describing the danger he presents on the court.

“Supreme shot maker from anywhere,” Durant said.

Despite his strongest season to date, Murray’s mindset playing next to Jokić remained the same — it stood as the reason he doesn’t shoot more.

“I have the best player in the world, a three-time MVP,” Murray said. “I’m not going to force it. I might have it going and get to 25 shots, but it’s all about the flow of the game. I don’t like to come down and force things.”

Next season, Murray will remain a crucial piece of the Nuggets’ Western Conference push. With the improvements they made, securing a top-five seed wouldn’t be a surprising outcome. But as Murray knows better than anyone, it only guarantees a spot, not a win.

So, he’ll continue to shoot the ball. But only as much as the game calls for. Perhaps that’s partly how he earned his “supreme” praise.

“I’d love to shoot 25-30 times a night,” Murray said, “but at the end of the day, I’m trying to win.”

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