The Denver Nuggets suffered a 131-121 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, but the scoreboard wasn't their only concern. Star point guard Jamal Murray sprained his right ankle in the third quarter, adding to Denver's growing list of injured starters.
Murray sustained the injury early in the third period and was seen limping to the locker room. The point guard would attempt to return and finish the quarter, but ultimately did not play. He would watch the final minutes from the sidelines as his team dropped its fourth consecutive home game. Murray would finish with just 10 points, nine assists, and four rebounds in 26 minutes before the injury forced him out.
“I don't know how he's doing. I know he tried (to play), because that's Jamal. Jamal is tough,” Nuggets head coach David Adelman said postgame. “If he sits himself because of the pain, you know it hurts. I'm hoping it just was something that happened tonight and he can get treatment the next two days, and we can see him come back.”
Denver Nuggets injury crisis deepens
Murray's potential absence worsens an already difficult situation for the Nuggets. He would join fellow starters Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun on the injury report if unable to play. Gordon has been sidelined since November 21 with a right hamstring injury and is expected to return in late December or early January. Braun sprained his left ankle on November 12 and is expected to miss at least six weeks.
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Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic acknowledged Murray's importance while emphasizing the team's need to adapt.
Nikola Jokic on the Nuggets difficulty to execute without Jamal Murray in the lineup: pic.twitter.com/zm76L7QBOk
— Rachel Strand (@MileHighRachel) December 2, 2025
“He's a great player for us. He can score, he can get other people involved,” said Jokic. “But if someone is down, we cannot think about him. Some other guy needs to step up, and we need to find a way to win a game.”
Murray is scheduled to be evaluated on Tuesday to determine the severity of the sprain and his availability moving forward.