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Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray believes the team's ceiling is to win a championship this season. The Nuggets are the No. 1 team in the Western Conference with a 51-24 record and have already clinched a playoff spot. They have been the most consistent team in the West this year, giving them the advantage over other teams to make it to the finals.
The team has the depth and balance needed to succeed in the playoffs. Here's what Murray said about their playoff chances after the Nuggets beat the shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers 116-111 on Monday (via NBA TV):
"Championship. I think it's as simple as that. We don't wanna cut ourselves short, Imma set the goal high, set the bar high, and we know that we can do it."
The Nuggets came into the season with great expectations, with stars like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. returning after season-long injury absences. They also added players like Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to bolster their depth, giving themselves a solid chance at making a championship push.
The Nuggets made the Conference finals when they last had a healthy roster in the playoffs in 2020. Nikola Jokic has reached MVP status since then, while their current team is better than the one that made the 2020 run, so their hopes of championship success are realistic.
Jamal Murray will be integral to the Denver Nuggets success in the playoffs
The Denver Nuggets have been one of the most successful regular-season teams over the past few years, despite injuries to key stars. Jamal Murray missed a significant chunk of games in the 2020-21 season after suffering an ACL tear and the entire 2021-22 season recovering from the same injury.
The Nuggets have achieved a top-six finish in both years. However, postseason success was hard to come by in Murray's absence. The Nuggets were swept in the second round against the Phoenix Suns in 2021, while the Golden State Warriors beat them in five games in the first round last year.
MVP Nikola Jokic was the team's only go-to option. The Nuggets could've faired well with a perimeter threat, but they didn't have anyone consistently putting up the numbers. Jamal Murray is an All-Star caliber threat, giving the Nuggets more options this time around.
He has avoided significant injury setbacks all year, playing 60 games so far, averaging 20.2 ppg and 6.2 apg on 45/40/83 splits. His presence has taken a lot of burden off Jokic and eased the pressure on other role players, spreading the floor for everyone to be efficient.
If Murray stays healthy and replicates his regular-season form, the Nuggets will be the favorites to advance against every team in the conference.
Guess the Lakers players!
