Nuggets' Tyus Jones Says What Makes Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray Special

The Denver Nuggets have one of the NBA's best duos. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have been paired together since 2016 and, over the last decade, have proven to be a near-unstoppable offensive tandem.

Not only do they work incredibly well together to have one of the league's best two-man games, but they are also individually premier talents at their respective position. Last season, especially, Murray emerged as one of the league's top point guards, making his first All-Star appearance and All-NBA Third Team selection. And, of course, we know Jokic is the league's best center.

In a recent interview with Fadeaway World, Nuggets backup point guard Tyus Jones had high praise for both Murray and Jokic.

Jamal Murray's shot-making ability

When asked what makes Murray so special, Jones credited the star point guard for his elite shot-making ability.

"It’s his shot-making ability. He’s been one of the best shotmakers that I’ve been around. He thinks the game at a high level and is extremely crafty. You can’t give him any daylight, or he’s going to make you pay. His two-man game with Jokić is deadly," Jones said about Murray.

"But overall, he’s one of the tougher shot-makers that I’ve played with, for sure. He makes it look easy. Every night in a game you watch, he’s making a tough one. It almost seems like the tougher the shot, the higher the possibility that it is going to go in. He’s just a gamer. He always rises to the occasion. He’s always ready to go. He does a lot for this team."

Last season, Murray averaged 25.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game for the best year of his career, while shooting 48.3% from the field and 43.5% from beyond the arc. The 29-year-old is undoubtedly one of the league's premier shot-makers, and he has continued to prove it on the biggest stage. As Jones says, Murray always rises to the occasion, and for years, he was known as one of the league's top playoff performers.

Nikola Jokic's work ethic

Of course, we know Jokic is one of the league's top players, and he has proven it with six consecutive top-two MVP finishes. However, what we don't see is the work he puts in behind the scenes. Jones was asked what he notices about Jokic when working with him up close, and he pointed out the three-time MVP's work ethic.

"I love how professional he is. He doesn’t take any days off. He’s always in the facility. He’s always working to get better. That’s probably something that people don’t assume. But his work ethic is something that jumped out to me right when I got there," Jones said about Jokic.

"This dude is always trying to get better. He takes his job extremely seriously. He’s obviously super smart. He has a high basketball IQ. He sees the game at a different level than anybody else. He’s always working to continue to improve. That’s something that I appreciate. It’s not like he’s satisfied with where he is at."

Even though the game comes easily to him, Jokic obviously has to work harder than everyone else to get where he is. With this professionalism and work ethic, Jokic helps lead his Nuggets teammates by example.

The Nuggets are built for success with this Jokic-Murray duo, and they obviously have the respect of their teammates, as Jones has shown.

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