Nuggets guard Jamal Murray will likely be out three-to-four weeks due to his right hamstring strain, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Murray sustained the injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s game vs. Chicago. In addition to missing the rest of that contest, he also sat out Monday’s game and will likely be sidelined for the remainder of November, according to Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski’s report lines up with what head coach Michael Malone said on Monday.
“We’ll kind of continue to talk to our doctors, but his injury is not a one- or two-game injury,” Malone said. “That’s what I do know. This will be something that will be longer than we would like.
“… You have to have the big picture in mind and make sure we’re putting him in position to get healthy before he comes back. Because this is an injury that, if you keep having recurring hamstring injuries or soft tissue injuries, they can linger and become even worse. And that’s the one thing we do not want to happen.”
It’s a tough blow for Murray, who missed the entire 2021/22 season with a torn ACL. His return last season was well worth the wait, however, as he had a spectacular playoff run in helping Denver win its first title.
Through six healthy games, Murray was averaging 18.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 8.7 APG on .436/.438/.842 shooting (34.4 MPG). Denver’s starting point guard is under contract through ’24/25.
Murray is one of the players who would become eligible for a super-max veteran extension – worth 35% of the cap instead of 30% – if he earns All-NBA honors in ’23/24. But the league instituted a games-played requirement (min. 65) to make All-NBA teams going forward, and the 26-year-old will likely be out at least 12-to-14 games with the hamstring strain. Even assuming he has an All-NBA caliber season, it could be challenging for him to play at least 65 games.
Reggie Jackson has been starting in Murray’s place, with Collin Gillespie receiving minutes at backup point guard. Rookie first-rounder Julian Strawther has also been receiving more run and playing well. The defending champions are currently 7-1 ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with Golden State.
With Jamal Murray out of course the Warriors sit Green and Gary Payton. More posturing as I said 2 weeks ago that Big Baller Brand TM didn’t quite understand.
It’s all about optics. You can’t lose to the Nuggets who are down an important starter when you are at full strength.
With Green out you can always say, yeah we were down a guy, we’ll be better when we play them again and he’s in. See how this works? It’s all psychological tactics not only against the other team but for your own squad. “Yeah we lost but we were down a very important piece.”
Big Baller BS. Oh, “TM.”
link to hoopsrumors.com
Considering they had the league’s toughest early schedule and only lost by 3 to the Nuggets, GSW has to feel good about the prospects for the season after starting the season 6-3 including 5-2 on the road (last season after 9 games they were 3-6 and an awful 0-5 on the road.
Next matchup is on Christmas day (again in Denver), hopefully both teams will be at full strength.
Nuggets sure look good.
No kidding! I hope the Warriors can avoid them in theearly playoff rounds.