Jamal Murray is thriving as Nuggets spread the ball-handling duties around

David Decker reports that Jamal Murray is thriving early this season as Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman has made a concerted effort to reduce his on-ball duties. After Murray ranked seventh in on-ball minutes last season and wore down during the playoffs, Denver has integrated players like Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon to help initiate the offense and advance the ball up the court.

According to Decker, this tactical shift has allowed Murray to conserve energy, resulting in elevated defensive intensity and efficient scoring. Through the first eight games—including a 114-102 win over the Indiana Pacers—Murray is averaging 24.3 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting a career-best 49.2% from three-point range.