MEMPHIS — Nuggets point guard made good on coach Michael Malone’s prediction.
After several uncharacteristically off games, Malone talked with his fourth-year guard on Sunday about the quality of looks he was getting on offense. That conversation yielded to an explosive performance from Murray against the Grizzlies in the Nuggets’ 131-114 win Sunday.
The Nuggets are now 9-3 and 5-1 on the road for the first time in franchise history.
Murray poured in 39 points on 14-of-24 shooting, including seven 3-pointers. Even more encouraging, his outburst didn’t preclude his passing. Murray had eight of his team’s 36 assists.
“I was just mentally prepared for the game,” Murray said. “I was ready to go in there and shoot the ball and be ready to play and bring the energy that coach and my dad keep telling me to play with and come out with, so when I do that, teammates follow. It wasn’t just me.”
Malone’s pregame premonition held true.
“I looked at all the shots he taken the last three games,” Malone said. “Understanding whatap a good shot, what is a tough shot. And for Jamal, it always starts with just being on balance and not taking the really high degree-of-difficulty type shots. I trust Jamal.”
was the other leading distributor with eight assists to go along with nine points. All told, the Nuggets shot 55 percent, buried 18 3-pointers and looked nothing like their 22nd-ranked offense. Despite their win total, it was just the second complete game they’d played all season, the other coming against Miami.
But the most telling stat of Sunday’s blowout came in transition, where the Nuggets dropped 29 points to just 10 from the Grizzlies. They entered Sunday averaging just 11.1 per game, good for 25th in the league.
Even though Murray caught a rhythm, he said prior to the game that he wasn’t motivated by a matchup against celebrated rookie Ja Morant, who had 13 points.
“I’m just trying to win,” he said. “If thatap me scoring 30, 40 or scoring one shot and playing good defense, then thatap fine. Itap a win. I’m not worried about a matchup.”
The Grizzlies were led by 22 points by rising star Jaren Jackson Jr.
For the second consecutive game, Malone leaned heavily on and Michael Porter Jr. instead of and . The latter two checked in after the game was already decided.
The Nuggets seemed to shed all their offensive woes during the first half. They ripped off a 44-17 advantage in the second quarter that helped pace their 72-49 halftime lead.
Malone said he had emphasized turning misses into transition opportunities, and evidently his players listened. Denver reeled off 23 fastbreak points in what amounted to a relentless, fast-paced barrage. The Nuggets entered halftime with 34 points in the paint to balance out their eight 3-pointers.
Murray was the primary catalyst. By halftime he had 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting to go along with five assists.
