Recently, Jamal Murray claimed that he and Nikola Jokic form the best duo in the league. Undeniably, the Denver Nuggets have been on a generational run for the past few seasons and are currently the strongest contenders for a consecutive NBA title this season. However, LeBron James’ former Miami Heat teammate Norris Cole refuted Murray’s claim.
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In a recent episode of ‘Gil’s Arena’, Cole said, “I’m going to say cap. Because, they are a great duo but Joker is the one really, you know.” To justify his take, Cole used the example of Anthony Davis and LeBron James and the new pairing between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, who present a better case, as per the former guard. Cole also believes there is a high level of difference between Jokic’s and Murray’s playstyles.
“When you’re talking about the level of play, like Joker is at the top. You can’t say the same about Jamal Murray. You can say Dame and Giannis are top 10 players every year in the league. LeBron and AD are top 10 players every year in the league,” he added. While he agreed that Murray and Jokic’s pairing works out great for the Nuggets, Cole still wouldn’t pick them as the best duo.
Instead, the 2x NBA champion argued Kevin Durant and Devin Booker to be the best pair playing in a 5-on-5 setup. Though the Nuggets duo has won a championship and continues to be favorites for this year, Cole highlights how it is mostly Jokic carrying the team as a Top 10 player in the NBA. Even though Jamal Murray, who averaged 21.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in the regular season, is a decent ball-handler, Joker led the team in all three areas with 26.4-12.4-9.
Complex ranked Jokic and Jamal Murray as the best duo in the league
Unlike Cole’s claim, Complex magazine ranked the Joker-Murray duo as the best in the NBA. As per the magazine, while Murray and Jokic might not be the flashiest duo, they are definitely the most productive ones. While the Giannis-Dame duo is ranked second, other picks in the top 5 included Devin Booker-Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown, and Anthony Davis-LeBron James.
The Nuggets pairing complements well with the squad’s depth and their chemistry led to them winning the NBA championship last year. They led the team against formidable contenders in the Western Conference. Winning against the likes of KD’s Phoenix Suns and defeating LeBron James’ Lakers nine times since last year, definitely justifies their ranking as the best duo in the league.
