NBA Roundup: Murray’s All-Star Push, Anunoby’s Return Nearing, and Signs of Life in New Orleans
Jamal Murray Is Wasting No Time
Jamal Murray has never been one to come out of the gates blazing - until now. This season, the Nuggets guard has flipped the script, coming in hot from opening night and playing like a man on a mission. He’s not just in midseason form - he’s in All-Star form.
Through the early stretch, Murray is putting up career-best numbers across the board: 24 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game. But it’s not just the counting stats that pop - it’s how efficient he’s been doing it.
He’s shooting 48.6% from the field, 40.9% from three, and nearly 90% from the free throw line. His True Shooting percentage?
A scorching .611 - the highest of his career.
Murray’s always had the talent, but what we’re seeing now is the fully realized version of his game: confident, composed, and deadly in all three levels. With the NBA’s new All-Star format featuring an international team, the Canadian guard is making a strong case to finally earn that elusive first All-Star nod. If he keeps this up, it’s not a matter of if - it’s when.
OG Anunoby Nearing Return for Knicks
There’s good news coming out of New York: OG Anunoby is getting closer to returning. The Knicks forward has been cleared for controlled contact and 3-on-3 work as he continues rehabbing a left hamstring strain.
Anunoby hasn’t suited up since tweaking the hamstring on November 14, but before the injury, he was quietly putting together one of his most complete seasons. He was averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, while shooting just under 40% from beyond the arc - the kind of two-way production that’s become his calling card.
Head coach Mike Brown made it clear they won’t rush him back, and that’s the right call. Hamstrings can be tricky, and the Knicks will want Anunoby back at full strength for the long haul. In the meantime, Josh Hart has stepped up to shoulder the extra minutes, bringing his usual blend of hustle, rebounding, and defensive grit.
Once Anunoby returns, the Knicks’ wing rotation could become one of the more versatile and defensively potent in the league.
Pelicans Showing Progress, Even If the Wins Aren’t There Yet
On paper, it doesn’t look great - a 1-8 record under interim head coach James Borrego after a 2-10 start that led to Willie Green’s dismissal. But if you’ve been watching the Pelicans closely, you know the story goes deeper than the standings.
This is a team that’s starting to compete again. The effort is there.
The execution is improving. And most importantly, there’s a belief in the process - something Borrego emphasized when asked about the early struggles.
“The results can overwhelm you,” he said. “The best organizations are process-driven. Trust that this is where we need to go, and the results will take care of themselves.”
That mindset is starting to show on the court. The Pelicans are playing harder, defending with more purpose, and beginning to look like a team that’s finding its identity. The wins haven’t caught up yet, but the foundation is being laid.
For a team that’s been through early-season turmoil, that’s a step in the right direction. And in an 82-game season, sometimes that’s where the real turnaround begins.