Jamal Murray Says Nuggets Hungrier Than Ever, Not Satisfied W/ 1 Title

Despite being defending champs, the Denver Nuggets aren't content with one ring ... they want to go back-to-back, and they're hungrier than ever, according to star guard Jamal Murray .

TMZ Sports talked to 27-year-old Murray Friday night (before the Spurs comeback victory) ... as the 2023 champs are gearing up for another deep playoff run -- this time as the hunted (champs), rather than the hunter.

"When you're the hunter, you've got to be super aggressive. You're trying to prove something. You're trying to be precise. You're trying to catch them off guard. You're trying to blitz them when you have them down, you know, stomp on the neck. It's that kind of mentality when you have that chip on your shoulder when you're trying to win," the All-Star guard said.

"As the winner, as the one being hunted with the target on the back, you have to be more aware of your surroundings. You have to be more aware of the situation and what's going on, aware of the moment. You got to be ready to be challenged and fire back."

As for the team's determination, Jamal says "We want it bad" ... 'cause winning last year was so special.

"Winning the championship, some guys never see it, right? Some of the greats never see it. And to have gone through that and see what it's like and how much we enjoyed it, how much we enjoyed being with each other, accomplishing that, it's something that we desperately want to get back to as a unit."

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"So I think just the intensity, the sacrifice, the selfishness, it's all there. And I think we've done a great job of just continuing to grow and not be satisfied with what we got."

We also asked Murray about playing with superstar teammate Nikola Jokic , arguably the best player in the world (check out the clip).

The Nuggets finished the season tied with the Thunder for the best record in the West, but because of tiebreakers, the squad is the number 2 seed, and will play the Pelicans or the Lakers.

Can they go back-to-back? Stay tuned!

In the meantime, Murray has partnered with Cheetos, helping to launch their "Other Hand" campaign. Cheetos lovers know the pain ... you need to use your hand, but it's covered in cheesy goodness, leading to all kinds of mishaps like untied shoes and missed high-fives!

Throughout the NBA playoffs, Murray and Cheetos will show what happens when you just can't put the bag down.