5 thoughts from the Denver Nuggets' third game at Summer League and Jamal Murray's breakout performance

LAS VEGAS — The Denver Nuggets played their third Summer League game Monday, a 92-81 loss to the Miami Heat at Cox Pavilion. Here’s what we learned from another strong showing from the Nuggets in Las Vegas.

Jamal Murray shows up

The rookie out of Kentucky had his best game thus far, dropping a game-high 29 points. His overall shooting numbers (10-25) were erratic, but many of his misses came late when the team relied on him to try and bring them back. After a shaky first quarter in which his 3-point shooting was off and he got turned around badly in transition defense, Murray settled into a rhythm. He drained a deep three midway through the second quarter and stole an inbounds pass then took it down the court for an easy dunk.

Murray got a chance to run the point again, with mixed results. He struggled when he had to improvise, unable to create late in the shot clock, but did deliver some nice dishes, finishing with two assists. There was some intrigue late in the fourth as Murray and Louisville’s Damion Lee went back and forth hitting shots, rekindling their college rivalry, and Murray hit a mid-range jumper with Lee on his hip and jawed with him back down the court. He looked like he might bring Denver back for a win in the waning minutes, but Briante Weber shut him down on consecutive possessions, forcing two Murray turnovers.

Juancho Hernangomez making case to be brought over this season

Juancho Hernangomez had another impressive outing, leading the team in rebounds (12) and assists (5). He and fellow rookie Petr Cornelie owned the offensive glass when on the floor together, combining for nine offensive rebounds on the night. One of Hernangomez’s best traits seems to be his sure hands. He catches entry passes in traffic with ease and doesn’t panic with arms flying at him. He had several strong finishes with defenders coming at him from all angles against the Heat.

Defensively, Hernangomez held his own when he was switched onto the quicker Weber, staying in front of him and forcing a miss. He may be a minus defender in the post, but his ability to switch translates well to the modern NBA game. It’s still likely Hernangomez is stashed in Spain for a year, but he’s showing NBA skill in Summer League.

Jimmer being Jimmer

Crowd favorite Jimmer Fredette remained in top form offensively and is quickly proving to be one of the stars of Summer League. He was 3-6 from three with 18 points, and Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly called him one of the best shooters in the world during an interview on the ESPN broadcast. Connelly ducked the question about Fredette possibly making the team and Fredette’s lack of defense may continue to keep him out of an NBA rotation. It has been fun to watch Fredette launch in Summer League and he hit a couple shots from Stephen Curry range against the Heat, to the delight of the Cox Pavilion fans.

Incomplete game from Denver’s wings

Both Axel Toupane and JaKarr Sampson are both seemingly on the fence, fighting for a roster spot and through the first two Summer League wins, they both played well, but each player struggled Monday night. Toupane had nearly as many turnovers (3) as points (4) and six fouls, while Sampson only got two shots up and also had a bad turnover. Both appeared to be pressing all night, eager to make an impression but falling short. Toupane and Sampson will need to seize the opportunity in the tournament round to make a good impression on the coaching staff and front office heading into training camp.

Miami raining threes was the difference

Denver held the lead for much of the game, but Miami pulled away in the fourth with a 3-point shooting barrage. They were 17-33 on the night from distance, outscoring the Nuggets 51-15 behind the line. Murray, Fredette and Toupane had trouble containing Miami’s sharpshooters and it cost them a 3-0 record in Summer League. Coach Micah Nori will surely look for his team to clean up the 3-point defense going forward.