Can Spurs push playoff streak to record heights? Predictions here
1. Dejounte Murray joins the “5-5-5” club in 2019-20
When the topic of Dejounte Murray comes about, the first thing those with an eye for the game notice is his remarkable defensive work. The national stage has caught on too; two seasons ago, we watched Murray unspool defensive possessions one after another, thus becoming the youngest All-Defensive Team selection in NBA history.
Two seasons later, the 23-year-old seems poised to tilt the scale a bit and showcase his offensive versatility. To put a numerical prediction on it, Murray will join the exclusive club of players to average at least five points, five rebounds and five assists per game over the course of a season.
OK, OK. So, maybe the “5-5-5” isn’t the type of statistical milestone the league actively tracks, and maybe it doesn’t hold the same storybook significance and scarcity that a “5-by-5,” but reaching this reasonable landmark would seat Murray among the absolute best the Association has to offer.
How exclusive is the 14-player list? It’s safe to say, if the likes of Draymond Green and Luka Doncic round out the bottom, it’s type of company to be around. Last season, 18 players were among the club. Another four — Lonzo Ball, Victor Oladipo, Rajon Rondo and Elfrid Payton — were also present if you eliminate the minimum of 50 games played.
Nonetheless, we’re talking players who’ve toed the tightrope between All-Star caliber and superstardom, a surface Murray could begin to scratch as early as this upcoming season. It doesn’t feel like much of a stretch to envision the young Spur reaching it, especially if you’ve paid attention to his past tendencies.
In 2017-18, his first full-on season as the starting floor general, Murray produced the following per 36 splits: 13.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
Mind you, that was for a transitioning Spurs team that not only ranked 27th in pace, but also in the bottom half of the league in nearly every offensive category. The difference between passing the ball to Kyle Anderson or 40-year-old Manu Ginobili — two great role players in their own right — against say, DeMar DeRozan or Derrick White, should be night versus day.
The numbers point to it: Murray’s been in the ballpark. This year, he should hit it out the park, Alex Rodriguez, Josh Hamilton-style.
The preseason has put a bit of that on display, especially in the Spurs’ road tilt against the Miami Heat. A few plays before, Murray missed Aldridge wide open at the top of the key, instead electing to take a contested jumper over 7-foot-1 Meyers Leonard, as seen here. He eventually made up for it, with back-to-back dimes to Jakob Poeltl.
Murray’s athleticism — something DeRozan described as “fast as hell” — during Media Day — allows him to probe the defense and find cutters in his “rear view mirror,” and that should make it easier for him to reach the assist portion of the milestone.
As for the scoring and rebounding, history says Murray should pass that test with flying colors. Last we saw of him, he spent time in the 100th percentile among guards as a rebounder, boasting a case as arguably the best at his position.
Suffice to say, keep your shades on when watching Murray this season. The future feels that bright.