Jamal Murray recently had a smart idea when asked about not making the All-Star team this year.

“I’m in the best team in the world and I’m playing with the best player in the world (Jokic).”

Throughout his career, the former Kentucky player was never selected to an All-Star or an NBA squad. Murray says winning another championship is his #1 aim, despite the fact that he was left off of this year’s All-Star squad. Jamal Murray is unquestionably a finalist.

In the NBA Finals, he also recorded a triple-double. He was one of the most lethal tandems in NBA history with Nikola Jokic. The Denver Nuggets have a great chance of repeating this year because they are the reigning champs and Jamal Murray is a finalist.

The Denver Nuggets are currently +440 odds to win this year’s NBA Finals. Only the Boston Celtics currently have a better chance of winning the NBA Finals. If Jamal Murray stays healthy, the Denver Nuggets will continue to be a threat.

During an interview with The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was asked if he has ever made an All-Star team in his career.

While Murray said he wants to be an All-Star, the Kentucky native knows he’s an All-Star in the playoffs.

“Of course I want to be an All-Star,”

Jamal Murray said.

But I think if you win the playoffs, you win on the biggest stages you play on, you play on the biggest stages and you prove yourself against these so-called All-Stars, (so this is) whatever.

Murray averaged 17.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists during the regular season with the Nuggets. The 26-year-old is averaging 25.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists to take his game to the next level in the postseason when it matters most.

The Nuggets won five games against the Miami Heat last season. Murray averaged 21.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 10.0 assists.

“But (not being selected to the All-Star) doesn’t hurt me that much mentally,” Murray said.

“I haven’t done this in so long and I’m a champion. And I’m on the best team in the world and I’m playing with the best player in the world.”

Murray is averaging 20.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game this season.

“I mean, you play to win, good,” Murray said.

“So, for me, with my competitive spirit, I just want to get to the top of the leaderboard.”

When the NBA All-Star Game ends on Sunday, Jamal Murray won’t be around. The 26-year-old Denver Nuggets star is eight years into his career, and the latest news has sparked the envy of many players entering the league.

As Murray knows, there have been a lot of problems since his exit: injuries (chief among them a torn ACL that cost him 22 games in 2021 and the entire 2021 season), multiple injuries before starting Encountered difficulties for the first time. In fact, final promotion is very difficult because there are only 12 places in each conference.

However, he was arguably the best player to ever play without an All-Star selection due to his recent abdominal injury that sidelined him for 13 games in November and early December. When Murray and I discussed this issue a year ago, he didn’t hesitate to share his honest thoughts on it all.

“I know I’m better than some of the All-Stars, yeah,”

he said at the time.

“Of course, I would love to be a champion,” he told The Athletic in Sacramento on Friday.

“But I think when you win the finals, when you win the biggest stage, you play on the biggest stage, show yourself in the so-called All-Star Game, (through) everything…”

Before the Nuggets title, only four players in the history of the game had averaged 26 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds in the playoffs (per Stathead.com). Michael Jordan (1991) did it, as did Larry Bird (1987) and Clyde Drexler (1992). LeBron James has done it five times. Then came Murray and his Nuggets, and Nikola Jokić, the two-time MVP.

These marks were achieved while leading the Nuggets to their first title in franchise history in 1967. Murray averaged 26.1 points and 7.1 ppg. After posting 5.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 20 games, he decided the rewards of the postseason would be where he stayed. Murray said sarcastically.

“I mean I’m working.”

To be fair, the Western Conference All-Star guards selected as replacements by coaches this year are Devin Booker (28.0 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds) and Stephen Curry (28 points, 4.9 assists, 4 .4 rebounds) and Anthony Edwards (26.1 points, 5.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds)

Murray’s current numbers don’t compare to them. He averaged 20.5 points, 6.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 40 of 54 games. But most importantly, and his priority between now and the end of his title defense, is to develop continue and improve the Nuggets.