Jamal Murray

If the possession begins with the two-man game between Jamal Murray and his All-Star big man, the only question left to ask is how many points the defense is about to surrender. Trying and succeeding in his plan to send the Indiana Pacers’ defense an early message, Murray puts that yin-yang cohesion to use, working a dribble handoff, pick-and-roll rejection, and then a quick-witted crossover to clear his alley for an around-the-rim reverse layup. In double-figures before you could even say “double-figures,” the Denver Nuggets star blitzed the opposition with a 12-point first quarter, a precursor of what was ultimately to come. The brilliant combo guard would finish with 31 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three 3-pointers, fueling an exciting win on January 23, 2024.