Except for a little worry (a cramp in the end) the other night in Chicago, Jamal Murray is savoring every moment of his big return to competition. After more than 500 days without playing, he was itching.
“It’s been a long time”he admits now with a smile for Bleacher Report. “It’s a hell of a journey. But it makes you aware of all the work you have to do to play at the highest level. All these little details that can also be modified in bodybuilding. But the fact of not being able to be with the team, you end up thinking that you are not really part of it anymore. There are a lot of feelings that mix and you inevitably feel worse [sans jouer]. »
On the flank since April 2021, Jamal Murray couldn’t wait any longer. Especially when you know the competitor! But, with this long absence, the Canadian archer has learned to control his body, and to listen to it even more.
“You have to be patient and do things on time. If you want to force a little too much one day, you run the risk of ruining the rest of the week because you won’t be able to do anything more. It can easily get tedious if [la rééducation] stretches in length. I knew sometimes that it was better for me to stop, even if I wanted to continue, because otherwise I was going to have aches for two days. »
“I put my first basket and I said to myself: ‘that’s it, I’m back'”
If he easily declares that “Basketball is something that [lui] comes naturally, Jamal Murray also explains that he is still careful on the stairs, so as not to make a mistake. And, on the boards, he has not yet resumed all his old reflexes.
“When I make a slightly odd movement in a match but I manage to follow it up with another movement, or when I get where I want to go, I have this tenth of a second where I tell myself that I am not Back to my level again. The kind of thought I never had two years ago. But I will continue to progress on this. »
Author of a 10-point match (4/7 on shots) for his big return to action, against the Thunder in preseason, Jamal Murray found a smile. All is not perfect, far from it, but the boy is on the right track. After his long Way of the Cross, he is positive.
“I put my first basket and I said to myself: ‘That’s it, I’m back. I can play more freely now. Once I racked up enough matches, I would get my groove back. We have a lot of new players so we still have to develop our cohesion. But it will be fine for us. »
“When I see some rankings of the best players in the League, I tell myself that I have work to do”
With his return, but also that of Michael Porter Jr, the Nuggets can indeed be among the big teams in the Western Conference. Big scorer when he wants, at 21 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds before his injury, Jamal Murray has the potential to be All-Star. He now wants to transform the test.
“I want to be All-Star. This is definitely a line I want to add to my CV. I also missed two playoff campaigns and it hurts because I think of the player that I am in the playoffs. I have this desire to make a difference in big games. I think I’m of the caliber [All-Star], I just need to have the CV. »
Within a team that can calmly aim for the playoffs, he has the collective in place around him, especially with Nikola Jokic in charge. Revengeful and more mature than ever in his approach, the native of Ontario wants to remember the good memories of certain players who would have beaten him to the pawn.
“I really think I’ve been forgotten a bit. But that’s normal because I haven’t played for so long! When I see some rankings of the best players in the League, I tell myself that I have work to do. I was able to see and read a lot of things when I was injured, when I was taken out of certain categories and put in others who have nothing to do with it. I keep it all in my head, like mental notes. check boxes [pour chaque joueur]. »
“We are always on the same wavelength”
Best known for his huge performances in the “bubble”, when his Nuggets had achieved the incredible feat of overthrowing two very badly embarked series (from 1-3 to 4-3), Jamal Murray revealed his secret. Behind the scenes, his father’s message touched him straight to the heart.
“There was a lot of anticipation. I was really super focused. And I think it was after Game 1 against Utah, my dad said something that stuck with me: ‘Every time you step onto a field, you can make history. It was a real trigger for me. I started to play well, and to believe more and more strongly in myself. I didn’t want to lose that momentum; on the contrary, I wanted to lean on it to go even higher. We beat the Jazz and it went on like that. I’ve kept the same energy and routine ever since. »
In addition to his return which is good news for his franchise, as for the League in general, another excellent news is that his duo with Nikola Jokic is also reformed. Two fingers of the same hand on a basketball court, the two men know each other by heart, since their debut together off the bench in 2016.
“We came off the bench together during our rookie year. Nurk was a starter in position 5, Moody [Emmanuel Mudiay]Jameer [Nelson] and Gary [Harris] were ahead of me in the rotation. We were playing together with the second unit and we naturally started passing each other. I put the ball to him in the post and I cut and he passed me behind the head. It started to make the highlights but Jok still wants to play collectively and create for others. We feed off each other. And we play on instinct, without hesitation, without a system to put in place, without waiting time… We are always on the same wavelength. »
