2023 NBA Finals Preview: Ranking players from SEC

1. Jamal Murray

Murray has been this postseason’s “breakout” star, reminding everybody that the bubble playoffs were far from a fluke.

In these playoffs, he is averaging a scorching 27.7 points per game on 48% shooting from the field, 39.8% from three, and making 92.5% of his free throws.

In Game 3 against the Lakers, Murray played like a man possessed scoring 30 of his 37 points in the first half. This came after scoring 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter of Game 2.

He played so well in the Western Conference Finals there could have been an argument he should have won the Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP award.

For the Miami Heat, as they go on a quest to slow down the potent Nugget offense, Murray is a player they will need to contain which is something not many teams have been able to do in a 7-game series.

With Murray and Jokic both healthy in a playoff series, the Nuggets are 6-2. Their only losses have come against the eventual-champion Lakers in 2020, and in 7 games to the Portland Trailblazers back in 2019.

College Days

Hailing from Kentucky, Murray was selected with the 7th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. As a Wildcat he averaged 20 points per game, 5 boards a game, and shot 41% from three.

Murray’s 20.0 points per game average is the most by any freshman in John Calipari’s tenure, as well as the most in Kentucky’s program history.

Leading a team filled with seven future NBA players, he received Third-team All-American honors by the AP and was First-team All-SEC.

Unfortunately for Murray, despite leading the Wildcats to an SEC Title, they were bounced in the second round by 5-seed Indiana.

That would also be his last college game as he left after just one season.