Jamal Murray, about not being selected to the All-Star: "I show up when you need an All-Star player the most, in the playoffs"

The Denver Nuggets point guard, Jamal Murray, didn't dodge the questions about his absence in this upcoming All-Star game. The talented canadian was a crucial player for that Nuggets team that won last year's championship, with standout performances, for example, throughout the series against the Lakers, a team Denver swept to advance to the NBA Finals. Calm but confident, Murray highlighted his role when the pressure gets is at its peak, during playoff time.

"I mean, I am," Murray said with a shrug. "I'm an All-Star when you need the All-Star to show up, in the playoffs. You want the best guys to step up then, right? And I think I do a good job of that. So in a way, I back myself up on that. That's what it is. That's what it is. So it's just more fuel to the fire."

Murray's words reflect his confidence in his ability to perform at crucial moments when his team's success is on the line. He has repeatedly proven himself in the playoffs, elevating his game when needed most and leading the Nuggets to deep runs in the postseason, most notably with last season's title.