San Antonio Spurs, Dejounte Murray close out 4th quarter; 3 takeaways

1. Dejounte Murray is back and he’s perfect

Dejounte Murray was everything a San Antonio Spurs fan could have wanted and more. Returning from a knee injury that kept him out all of last season, Murray was ready to get back into the game. His impact was immediate. Murray showed his prowess as a two-way player and unleashed part of his potential that has made Spurs fans excited for the seasons ahead.

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The young guard started alongside LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan, Bryn Forbes and Trey Lyles. He was getting it done in all facets of the game as he had 10 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in the first half.

"“He’s a really welcome sight, he makes things easier for other people, he’s a good defender,” Popovich said on the television broadcast before the game. “So he helps us in a lot of ways.”"

Early in the fourth quarter, Murray ripped the ball from Kevin Knox and took it down the court for an up-and-under against Knicks defenders for a three-point play. He was a spark plug for the Spurs whenever he was on the floor. There was a stretch in the third quarter when he was on the bench where the team fell a little flat.

In his 24 minutes on the floor, he was plus-9 and finished with a line of 24 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Getting him back into full minutes will not be an immediate change. Popovich and the Spurs’ staff are going to work him into the full rotation. Anything that can preserve him for years to come is quite welcome to me.

In the fourth quarter, he was drawing fouls, including a big one against Wayne Ellington with six minutes to go and the Spurs up two. One minute later, he hit a corner 3 to put the Spurs up by eight points. He is going to be so fun to watch this year.

Not only was he flashy on the night, but he was very efficient from the floor. He shot 7-of-10 from the field including a 3-pointer made, as well as shooting 3-for-3 from the free throw line. His game’s biggest positives shined throughout the night.