Former NBA lottery pick Jay Williams thinks Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray is one of the scariest players remaining in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, and he even has the 26-year-old above LeBron James and Anthony Davis in that regard.
The way Williams sees it, Murray is the fourth scariest player left in the postseason, giving him the edge over both Los Angeles Lakers superstars.
.@RealJayWilliams' top five scariest players remaining in the playoffs:
1. Jimmy Butler
2. Nikola Jokić
3. Jayson Tatum
4. Jamal Murray
5. Anthony Davis pic.twitter.com/nUE8PMv4oQ— First Take (@FirstTake) May 19, 2023
Murray is proving once again this year that he’s one of the best playoff performers in the NBA. In 13 playoff games this season, he has averaged 27.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game while shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from beyond the arc.
He’s a major reason why the Nuggets currently have a 2-0 series lead over the Lakers.
The University of Kentucky product seems to have a killer instinct that often comes out to play in the late stages of games. For example, during the fourth quarters of games in the 2023 postseason, he’s shooting a whopping 54.8 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from deep.
He had a monster fourth quarter against the Lakers on Thursday, dropping 23 points while playing the entire frame. His masterful quarter couldn’t have come at a better time for the Nuggets, who didn’t get a single point from superstar big man Nikola Jokic during the fourth.
Meanwhile, James and Davis have been a mixed bag so far during L.A.’s series against Denver. That trend can’t continue if the Lakers want to erase their 2-0 deficit and claw their way back into the best-of-seven affair.
When looking at the big picture, there’s no doubt that James and Davis have reached levels of superstardom that Murray hasn’t, but the rising star is doing everything he can to get the league’s respect right now. Coupled with his iconic playoff run in the NBA bubble in 2020, Murray’s play in the 2023 postseason is turning a lot of heads.
The Lakers and Nuggets will be back in action on Saturday for Game 3 of their series. The Lakers are no strangers to adversity this season, but they’re going to have to overcome one of their biggest obstacles yet in order to advance to the 2023 NBA Finals.
