NBA All-Star snubs: Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are not their usual dominating selves this regular season as they just barely make the cut for playoff teams in the West right now. Very surprising behavior following a second-round upset of the heavily favored LA Clippers just a few months prior.
Jamal Murray, in the bubble, was one of the most entertaining and outstanding players to watch. He and his Nuggets team had all the momentum in the world to continue being a notable threat to super teams in the NBA. In contrast to what essentially everyone thought, Murray did not take a huge leap in his game this season and the Nuggets were not sitting comfortably atop the Western Conference. Murray’s teammate Nikola Jokic is still his usual self putting up triple-doubles and effectively using his court vision and IQ to cement himself as the best passing center in the league.
With how consistently stellar Jokic is, it is unusual to not see Murray, a young stud in the making, reach the heights of his teammate after such a prolific postseason run. It is within this narrative that lies Murray’s limits that keep him from being in the All-Star conversation. Jamal Murray is putting up great numbers, but it doesn’t reflect his true capabilities as we all saw the season prior.
The NBA All-Star game this season may not be as enticing as most normal years, but it will still be an entertaining night full of the best the league has to offer. While not everyone who was worthy made the final cut, it is still a top-of-the-line assortment of players, and those who did not make it are equally as deserving of recognition. It’ll all unfold on March 7th in Atlanta, Georgia, when the 2021 NBA All-Star game officially begins.