Nuggets Murray: Stockton Couldn’t ‘Score Like Me’
Jan 20, 2023, 2:42 PM
SALT LAKE CITY – Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray may have turned a few heads when being compared to Utah Jazz legend John Stockton.
After Nuggets lead-assistant David Adelman compared watching Murray and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic to watching Stockton and Hall of Fame teammate Karl Malone, Murray had a quick response to the comment.
“I don’t think Stockton could score like me,” Murray joked.
Nuggets coach David Adelman compared Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic to John Stockton and Karl Malone.
Jamal Murray: "I don't think Stockton could score like me." 😜 pic.twitter.com/jMQMRTERk8
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) January 19, 2023
Adelman made the comment after the Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves for the eighth straight win.
The Nuggets sit atop the Western Conference with a 0.5 game lead over the Memphis Grizzlies.
“It’s like watching Stockton and Malone, it really is,” said Adelman, who oversaw the Nuggets in absence of Nuggets head coach Michael Malone.
Though Murray rebuffed the idea of Stockton’s scoring, he said he did recognize the comparison regarding “the chemistry and the combination and how they controlled the game.”
Ironically, it was Jokic who became the Nuggets’ all-time leading assist-man against the Timberwolves passing Hall of Famer Alex English.
Jokic And Murray Vs. Stockton And Malone
While Jokic is building a resume similar to that of Malone, including multiple MVPs, All-Star selections, and All-NBA First Team nods, Murray has a ways to go before matching Stockton’s long and decorated career.
Stockton retired from the NBA in 2003 after spending 19 seasons with the Jazz. The guard was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Kelly Olynyk shared what it’s like to still play with John Stockton at Sunday pickup games in Spokane.
“He’s damn near the best player out there every single possession.” #TakeNote | @kslsports pic.twitter.com/9AyzjnkYNr
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) October 10, 2022
With 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals, Stockton is the only player to own NBA records in two of the five major statistical categories.
Stockton retired with averages of 13.1 points, 10.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. He was selected to 11 All-NBA teams, 10 All-Star teams, and five All-Defensive teams.
The guard also won two Gold Medals with Team USA in 1992 and 1996.
Murray, to his credit, has developed into a reliable scoring threat. The guard has a career average of 16.6 points per game to go with 4.0 assists and was named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2017.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.
