10 NBA Players Who Took Huge Leaps This Season
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
After a brutal rookie year, Jamal Murray made big strides this season. He posted the league's 20th-worst nERD as a 20-year old rookie but posted a nERD right in line with other well-respected starting point guards -- Ricky Rubio (1.2), Goran Dragic (0.7), and Jeff Teague (-0.4) to name a few -- in 2018.
After losing a play-in game for the 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, Murray probably won't remember this season fondly, but it was a huge step forward.
| Jamal Murray | nERD | PPG | FG% | TS% | PER |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | -4.9 | 9.9 | 40.40% | 51.80% | 11.9 |
| 2018 | 0.6 | 16.7 | 45.10% | 57.60% | 16.1 |
Fun Fact: Murray scored at least 25 points in 16 games this season, which led the Denver Nuggets. Only five other point guards accomplished that feat (six if you count James Harden).
Murray has proven that he can be a dynamic scoring option, but his ability to create for others has been somewhat disappointing through two seasons. One encouraging sign was that he progressively improved in that department as the season went on.
| Jamal Murray 2018 | APG |
|---|---|
| Games 1-20 | 2.4 |
| Games 21-40 | 3.0 |
| Games 41-60 | 3.9 |
| Games 61-81 | 4.2 |
Murray has the potential to be one of the most effective scoring guards in the league, and while it was disappointing to see him miss out on the playoffs, it will be exciting to continue to watch his development in year three.
