Jamal Murray
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Jamal Murray will have to step up in Jokic's absence.
In Colorado, the Denver Nuggets hosted the New York Knicks for the second night of a back-to-back set.
As the second quarter was winding down, the Nuggets saw their star forward, Jamal Murray, go down with an injury. The All-Star needed assistance getting back to the locker room before the half.
When the Nuggets and the Knicks reached the halftime mark, Denver trailed 65-52. Not only were they in a tough spot through two quarters as a team, but they have to worry about the availability of Murray moving forward.
Will Jamal Murray Return To The Nuggets-Knicks Matchup?
GettyBOSTON, MA – MARCH 2: Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets covers his face after his team called timeout during the second half of their loss to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on March 2, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The Nuggets have announced that Murray is questionable to return to the game on Friday. He is dealing with a reported ankle injury.
When Murray left the court in the first half, the Nuggets’ star had played 18 minutes. Only Nikola Jokic and Christian Braun played more.
Murray shot 5-10 from the field (1-3 3PT) to score 12 points. Along with his scoring production, Murray produced three assists, one rebound, and one block throughout the first half of the matchup.
via @MileHighRachel: A sight that will make you sick to your stomach. Jamal Murray needing help getting off the court with a leg injury. He’s heading to the locker room immediately. #milehighbasketball
Rachel Strand
A sight that will make you sick to your stomach. Jamal Murray needing help getting off the court with a leg injury. He’s heading to the locker room immediately. #milehighbasketball
Murray is in the midst of his best season.
Leading up to Friday’s action against the Knicks, the star forward had 58 games played. He is shooting 48% from the field and knocking down threes at a 43% clip, taking 7.6 attempts per game. He is averaging a career-high 25.7 points per game.
Along with his scoring, Murray has produced 7.3 assists per game, and coming down with 4.4 rebounds per matchup.
For the first time in his career, Murray was named an All-Star in the Western Conference. He joined his superstar center, Nikola Jokic, who earned the nod eight times throughout his career.
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Murray joined the Nuggets out of Kentucky in 2016. The Nuggets drafted the Wildcat after his 36-game run in the NCAA. He was the seventh-overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. In his first season with the Nuggets, Murray had an immediate role off the bench. By year two, he was a full-time starter.
The Nuggets veteran established himself as one of the top role players in the NBA since he started averaging over 30 minutes of action in his sophomore season.
During the 2022-2023 NBA season, Murray was a critical piece in helping the Nuggets win the 2023 NBA Finals. That year, he appeared in 20 postseason games, averaging 26.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists. He made 39% of his threes during the championship run.
As the Nuggets work on making another run, they need to ensure Murray will be healthy come postseason time. He’ll be a name to watch moving forward.