BBNBA: Jamal Murray goes off for season-high 37 in Nuggets win
Jamal Murray lit up the box score with a season-high 37-point performance on Sunday in the Denver Nuggets’ 131-114 win over the Detroit Pistons. The smooth-shooting imaginary archer out of Kentucky is no stranger to crooked letters in his points column, but last night it felt like getting him as many shots as possible was the sole game plan.
The defending champion Nuggets faced off against the NBA’s worst team in the last decade, the Detroit Pistons, and decided to play with their food. Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic took just three shot attempts and finished with four points but instead played the role of seven-foot, 285-pound facilitator. Jokic racked up 16 assists, which remarkably is three shy of his season high, most of which came at the hands of his shooting guard.
Murray took 24 shots, double the number of Michael Porter Jr., the man who took the second-most shots for the Nuggets on the day. He made 14 of them, including three of eight from behind the arc. Single-game parlay bettors would have been well served to know the Nuggets’ game plan going into this one.
Booker scores 24, but the Suns lose…again
The Phoenix Suns were supposed to be one of the best teams in the league this season, but nearly halfway through, and they are meandering in 9th place in the West. They are unable to get healthy, unable to find a rhythm between their newest rendition of a Big 3, unable to find reliable bench scoring, and ultimately unable to string together multiple wins.
Devin Booker is scoring and his assist numbers are up this season due to the fact the team does not have a point guard on the roster, but as someone who follows the team fairly closely, to me, he appears more agitated this season than he has ever been, even during his first few years when the Suns were horrible.
He has always let the refs know about his displeasure, but this season he seemingly has spent more time arguing with officials than he has talking to his teammates on the court. There is still plenty of time for him to turn his team around, but they need a boost soon.
Booker had 24 points, eight assists, and zero rebounds in the Suns’ Sunday loss to the Grizzlies. His shoe game was on point though.
Other BBNBA Notes:
- Shaedon Sharpe, who scored the game-winning basket against the Nets on Saturday, followed up his clutch performance by coming off the bench with a 21-point outing on Sunday in another Blazers win.
- Anthony Davis casually put up a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double in a game played at his home arena that was technically an away game on the schedule. The Lakers beat the Clippers 106-103 after a would-be game-tying buzzer-beater rimmed out for the Clips.
- Keldon Johnson is another former Kentucky player to lose his role in the starting lineup. Johnson still played 33 minutes for the Spurs and scored 21 points in their loss to Cleveland.
- The team with the best record in the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves, took a loss on Sunday despite Karl-Anthony Towns‘ 24 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.
- It was an uncharacteristically bad day for De’Aaron Fox on Sunday. The reigning NBA Clutch Player of the Year shot just 1-10 from the field, scoring just three points, in the Kings’ blowout loss to the Pelicans. Everyone is entitled to an off night.
BBNBA Stats for 1/8/2024
| Player | Score | PTS | FG (3PT) | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | P/M | MIN |
| Jamal Murray (DEN) | 131-114 W vs. DET | 37 | 14-24 (3-8) | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | +11 | 30 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) | 108-115 L vs. DAL | 24 | 8-16 (3-9) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | -6 | 27 |
| Devin Booker (PHX) | 115-121 L vs. MEM | 24 | 9-17 (2-6) | 0 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | +11 | 37 |
| Anthony Davis (LAL) | 106-103 W vs. LAC | 22 | 10-15 (0-1) | 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | -4 | 39 |
| Shaedon Sharpe (POR) | 134-127 W vs. BRK | 21 | 7-14 (3-6) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +14 | 40 |
| Keldon Johnson (SAS) | 115-117 L vs. CLE | 18 | 6-16 (3-6) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -12 | 33 |
| Kevin Knox (DET) | 114-131 L vs. DET | 12 | 4-8 (1-3) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -13 | 20 |
| Immanuel Quickley (TOR) | 118-133 W vs. GSW | 9 | 4-10 (1-4) | 5 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +4 | 26 |
| Malik Monk (SAC) | 100-133 L vs. NOP | 6 | 2-9 (2-6) | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -26 | 21 |
| De’Aaron Fox (SAC) | 100-133 L vs. NOP | 3 | 1-10 (1-4) | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -30 | 26 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL) | 106-103 W vs. LAC | 2 | 1-3 (0-1) | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +6 | 21 |
| Brandon Boston Jr. (LAC) | 103-106 L vs. LAL | DNP-CD | ||||||||
| Trey Lyles (SAC) | 100-133 L vs. NOP | DNP-Ankle |
Tonight in the NBA
- 7:00: Bulls @ Hornets (PJ Washington, Richards)
- 7:00: Celtics @ Pacers (Jackson, Tshiebwe)
- 7:00: Thunder (Gilgeous-Alexander, Wallace, Sarr) @ Wizards
- 7:30: Rockets @ Heat (Adebayo, Herro)
- 8:00: Jazz (Juzang) @ Bucks (Livingston, T. Washington)
- 10:30 (NBA TV): Suns (Booker) @ Clippers (Boston)
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