In case you weren't paying much attention, Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has upped his defensive game significantly this season. A testament to this fact is that the NBA has just included the 24-year-old in its mid-season shortlist for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Murray has always been known as an explosive scorer, but as it turns out, his defense has been so good this year that he's forced himself into the DPOY conversation:

The other four names on the list do not come as a surprise, but Murray's inclusion has received its fair share of mockery on the mean streets of Twitter:

https://twitter.com/sheikhCUE/status/1366843912493662218?s=20

Haters gotta hate.

Murray caught wind of the recent development and decided to respond to all the slander:

Yes, you do, Jamal and the league has certainly taken notice.

Murray isn't likely to win the DPOY award, but the mere fact that the Nuggets star currently considered as a Top 5 defender in the league speaks volumes of how he has improved tremendously on the defensive end.

The fact that he's shined on defense from the guard position is also a noteworthy fact. For what it's worth, the legendary Gary Payton is the only other point guard to have won the DPOY in league history. Although he'll probably be joined by Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons at the end of this season.

Whatever the case may be, there's no denying that Jamal Murray's defense has played a key role in Denver's success this season. The Nuggets have not been as dominant as they have been in years past, but they are still very much considered to be a contender in the West.