Nuggets Injury Report: Bittersweet Jamal Murray Update Raises Caution for Denver Ahead of Lakers Clash

The Denver Nuggets continued their dominant run by beating the Miami Heat last night. Nikola Jokic and Co. put up another impressive performance and won the thrilling 2023 NBA Finals rematch 103-97. However, a scary moment early in the game nearly jeopardized Denver’s Championship dreams. Their superstar Jamal Murray injured his ankle during the 2nd quarter and had to leave the game after playing only 14 minutes.

While many feared a major injury that could keep Murray out for a long time, the Nuggets received a bittersweet update regarding his ankle. The Defending Champions will face the Los Angeles Lakers tomorrow. And Jamal Murray’s status for the game is questionable. According to the latest reports, Murray did not suffer a serious injury last night and could return sooner than expected. That is great news for the Nuggets. However, they would not want to rush Murray’s return as they need him healthy in the playoffs to make another Championship run.

That means Jamal Murray might miss tomorrow’s game to get some rest and make a complete recovery. Murray injured his ankle while he made an acrobatic turnaround pass to Jokic. Although Jokic made the basket, Murray landed on Aaron Gordon’s foot and rolled his ankle.

He tried to continue playing but had to leave the game due to immense pain. Murray finished with only 6 points and 3 assists. Murray’s early exit from yesterday’s game also made him ineligible for regular season awards due to the new 65-game rule. He has missed 16 games this season and has played less than 15 minutes on two occasions.

Jamal Murray is a different animal in the playoffs

Even though Murray has become ineligible for regular season honors, that might not matter to him if the Nuggets win back-to-back titles this year. But to win another Championship, the Nuggets need Murray healthy during the playoffs. While Murray is a solid regular-season player, he turns into a Beast during the playoffs. A similar thing happened last year. Murray averaged 20 points, 6.2 assists, and 4 rebounds last season. However, he took a massive leap in the playoffs and improved to 26.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.7 rebounds.

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Murray’s dominant performance helped the Denver Nuggets win their first Championship in franchise history. Very few players have the ability to elevate their game to the next level during the post-season like Jamal Murray. Another name that comes to mind is Jimmy Butler. The Nuggets need Murray as The Joker’s co-star to win another ring. For that, they might have to give him enough time to rest and recover from his injury.