Nuggets’ David Adelman Explains Why Jamal Murray Has Been Thriving

Through the first 30-plus games of the NBA regular season, it's been a career-best stretch for Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray.

In his 34 games played across the Nuggets' season thus far, Murray is second on the team in scoring with 25.4 points per game, paired with 4.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists a night, shooting a quality 48.0% from the field and 44.7% from three throughout his wildly productive campaign.

Those numbers aren't by coincidence either. According to Nuggets’ head coach David Adelman, Murray spent a ton of time this summer figuring out— both physically and mentally— what he needed to accomplish in order to get to the levels he wants to reach.

“It was this summer. Him figuring out what he needed to be prepared for the season,” Adelman said of Murray, via an interview with Marc Spears. “In other summers, maybe he worked too hard. And in other summers, he thought if I took time off like the old vets back in the day, ‘I’ll be fine.’ This summer there was a really good balance. Not just the physical, the mental, too.

“He had a very clear mind. Leadership was great all summer. It just continued into the season. He’s not fighting, he’s playing. What is there is there. It’s fun to watch him play out there. He just seems loose and free out there.”

Clearly, that process undergone throughout the summer has been working out exactly as it needed to for Murray, and it's beginning to pay major dividends for both him individually and the Nuggets as a collective.

Jamal Murray Eyeing First All-Star Campaign

Especially as the Nuggets have been dealing with their barrage of injury issues, even including Murray himself with his recent minor ankle injury, the 28-year-old guard has been one of the most consistent offensive contributors to hold the fort down on that end of the floor for Denver, next to a healthy Jokic, and he's had a career-best campaign in the process.

Now, Murray could be en route to what would be his first-ever All-Star appearance because of it, which might be a perfect result for the Nuggets guard to end up with after such a strong summer to get to the current level he's at now.

Jan 2, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) drives on Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images

His impact for the Nuggets has been critical in keeping them afloat in the West for as long as they've been dealing with their extensive injuries this season, which has plagued them really dating back to the middle of November.

Nikola Jokic is set to be out nearly a month with his knee injury. Cam Johnson joins him on the sidelines with a knee injury of his own, Jonas Valanciunas will also be down for the next month leaving Denver's frontcourt even more hobbled, and the duo of Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon are just now coming back into the lineup from their multi-week injuries.

Still, the Nuggets are a top four seed in the Western Conference. Throughout the chaos, Murray's still thriving, and a lot of that might be a credit to one of his best summers yet that's even captured the attention of his first-year head coach.

Eventually, the Nuggets will find their way back on track to the efficient machine they were projected to be at full strength. But in the meantime, as long as Murray is in his groove, Denver will be in good hands.

Jamal Murray Eyeing First All-Star Campaign

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