BBNBA: Jamal Murray, Nuggets Roll on Ring Night

DanielHagerKSR

The Denver Nuggets just weren’t going to lose on ring night.

On the night when Denver celebrated its first-ever NBA Championship, Jamal Murray scored 21 points to hold off Anthony Davis and the Western Conference runner-up Los Angeles Lakers 119-107.

Jamal Murray is an NBA Champion 💍@nuggets Ring Ceremony | Live on TNT pic.twitter.com/GnhxfEAT4t
— NBA (@NBA) October 24, 2023

Davis got off to a fast start in the Laker season opener, scoring 17 points on 6-11 shooting in the first half. However, he disappeared in the second half, failing to score a single point on 0-6 shooting.

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley ripped into the former ‘Cat following the game, saying “You can’t be a great player and go a whole half without scoring a point”. The ‘Round Mound of Rebound’ continued, saying “The Lakers will only go as far as AD takes them.” Davis’ 17 points scored were his lowest in a season opener in his career. His previous low was 18 points (twice, 2015 & 2020).

Jarred Vanderbilt, who inked a four-year, $48 million contract extension with the Lakers in September, was inactive for Los Angeles’ season opener with heel soreness.

For the first time since the 2020-21 season, Murray is entering the regular season 100% healthy. Murray tore his ACL on April 13, 2021, knocking him out for the rest of the season and the 2021-22 season as well. He returned to the game of basketball in Denver’s 2022-23 season opener, but it was the first game action for the “Blue Arrow” in 539 days. The Canadian guard played just 26 minutes, scoring 12 points on 5-13 shooting in that outing.

Following a stellar 2022-23 campaign in which he averaged 20 PPG and 6.2 APG en route to becoming an NBA Champion, Murray is officially 100% healthy following an offseason free of rehab. He showed out in front of a sold-out Denver crowd Tuesday night, scoring 21 points on 8-13 shooting (3-5 from three) while dishing out six assists. Murray’s 21 points were the most he has scored in a season opener in his career.

Basketball legend Magic Johnson took to X/Twitter following the game, where he spoke highly of Murray and his teammate 2x MVP and Finals MVP Nikola Jokic.

The Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray pick-and-roll combination is the best in the entire league! They can do everything off the pick: shoot, pass, dribble, and drive.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) October 25, 2023

Devin Booker Shines in Suns Win over Warriors

Elsewhere in the Western Conference, Devin Booker led all players in scoring with 32 points on 13-21 shooting (3-8 from three) in Phoenix’s 108-104 win on the road at Golden State.

Along with scoring 32 points, Booker threaded an unbelievable pass through the needle to Jusuf Nurkic for a clutch layup with 10 seconds remaining, which pushed the Suns’ lead from two to four.

BOOKER TO NURKIC.

Suns up by 4 with 10 seconds remaining 🤯#KiaTipOff23 | Live on TNT pic.twitter.com/2o9xVgFnNA
— NBA (@NBA) October 25, 2023

Booker loves playing against the Warriors; he’s now scored 30-plus points in three of Phoenix’s last four matchups against Golden State. Book’s 32 points Tuesday night marked his second-most scored in a season opener (35 in 2018).

10/24/2023 Statistics:

Player	Score	PTS	FG (3PT)	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	+/-	MIN
Devin Booker (PHX)	108-104 W vs. GSW	32	13-21 (3-8)	6	8	1	—	6	+5	37
Jamal Murray (DEN)	119-107 W vs. LAL	21	8-13 (3-5)	2	6	—	1	1	+3	34
Anthony Davis (LAL)	107-119 L vs. DEN	17	6-17 (1-2)	8	4	—	2	2	-17	34
Jarred Vanderbilt (LAL)	107-119 L vs. DEN	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—