Jamal Murray continues to deal with a sprained left ankle and swollen right knee, having missed a fourth consecutive game on Friday vs. Minnesota. According to a report from ESPN, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone told reporters before Friday’s game that Murray is improving, but said he’s “not ready to go out there and compete at the level that we need him to” and hinted that the star guard may remain out for Sunday’s game vs. Cleveland.
Still, Malone isn’t worried at this point that Murray’s health issues will extend into the postseason, adding, “I do think he will be back on the court before the playoffs start.”
It should be an eventful spring and summer for Murray, assuming he gets – and stays – healthy. After seeking a second straight NBA championship with the Nuggets, the 27-year-old hopes to suit up for the Canadian national team at the Olympics in Paris, he confirmed to Eurohoops.
“I’m excited to be there,” he said. “We have a great squad, (it) was great to see them win a medal (at the 2023 World Cup). Hopefully, we can go our way and win gold this summer.”
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a second consecutive game on Friday vs. Phoenix due to his right quad contusion. Head coach Mark Daigneault said that Gilgeous-Alexander will continue to be considered day-to-day, so there’s no indication at this point that the injury will result in an extended absence (Twitter link via Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman).
- Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe, who is recovering from core muscle surgery, is with the team on its current seven-game road trip and will continue to be evaluated after participating in non-contact and conditioning drills in the G League earlier this week, per the club (Twitter link). Sharpe hasn’t played since January 11, but there’s still hope that he’ll return in the season’s final two weeks.
- Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch said on Friday that he has great relationships with Glen Taylor, Marc Lore, and Alex Rodriguez, so he won’t be taking sides in the franchise’s ownership struggle and doesn’t expect the situation to affect his team at “troop level,” tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “If there was ever a definition of ‘above your pay grade,’ this is it,” Finch added.
- After expressing some concern in mid-February about the frustration level in the Jazz‘s locker room, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune says the locker room vibes in Utah are “way better” now. However, that comes with an important caveat — according to Larsen, since the Jazz have fallen out of the postseason race, they’re no longer as stressed about winning games, as “the sting of losing is absolutely gone.”
Good to hear the Jazz have made losing a comfort zone, i was worried
Still see Lauri taking the Dom Sabonis contract but I doubt he’s as happy as the article suggests on losing
* I imagine Hardy is being dinged on his exit interviews for being too good !
Will , we’d really appreciate if you could tone it down a little on the elite coaching , we’re still gonna bring you back next year but try and make sone improvements over the summer would ya
James Hansen / Hoops Nerd on YouTube, made a great point on his post game show.
To paraphrase, “look how hard the Jazz are going after a better pick this year. Imagine next year when there’s guys like Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey available.”
The Jazz would be smart to tank harder, from the start, if they really want to be good long-term. They can always trade Markkanen, Clarkson, and Sexton, if they get unhappy. Collins is playing really well so his contract would be easier to trade as well.
In other words, I’d much rather the Jazz go all in on a rebuild instead of these half builds. Gotta be patient if you want an MVP level talent.
No need for other words
You want a full on 2k tank, one where Danny doesn’t go out picking up fellas like THT and John Collins to rot out the cap sheet. One where trading quality players like Simon F and Kelly O for beans is protocol. I think you’ll get what your looking for…if your patient….. Danny does like to spin the wheel for kicks once a a semester just to keep everyone guessing
Tanking gets you the Detroit Pistons.
It is not a path to a championship.
To win a championship you need a winning culture and you need to sign good players away from other teams or trade for them.
The lottery remains the least likely way to create a winning team. Look at all the teams in the lottery year after year after year. It’s a bad strategy. 95% chance of failure.
Tanking is a viable strategy. You have to start somewhere, whether it gets you a star or assets to trade for one. Sure the Pistons haven’t had the best of luck but almost all the other top teams over the last few years were built with the lottery. The Bucks got lucky with Giannis and Middleton and The Nuggets with Jokic but Murray and Porter were both late lottery picks. Those teams are exceptions though. Look at the other top teams this season and from season from the recent past though. Tatum and Brown were both high lottery picks and they used Smart who was a high pick to aquire Holiday. The T-Wolves used lottery picks on Edwards and Towns to get themselves in a position where trading for Gobert was a viable move. Shai was a trade but Giddey and Holmgren were both lottery picks. The Grizz before the injuries used high picks on Morant and Jackson Jr. Hell even The Lakers signed LeBron but they used Ingram and Lonzo to aquire Davis and they were both top picks. Even the the young teams on the rise like Orlando and New Orleans were built via lottery.
I’m not talking about every year. I’m suggesting for 1-2 more years and then do trades to fill in the missing pieces. The Jazz have plenty of assets now to do that at anytime.
The Pistons waited too long to do trades for vets. The young guys with potential trade value don’t as much because they’re stuck in a bad system.
Although, the Pistons were really competitive for a bit when Bogey came back from injury. Both him and Burks were keeping them close and then winning here and there, until they traded them. Lol
Danny Ainge will get Utah Back in contention.
We shall see what they do with all these picks. THT works hard on his game and still young enough to grow. George shows flashes of running a team. A high second for 27 year old player you signed because you scout well. The Raptors are in the lottery and Utah Ie Danny Ainge fleeced them. Kessler was also a great pick by Ainge. All is good in Utah.
THT likely won’t be back. Unlike Sexton, he never learned to turn off the tunnel vision. Would be a solid 6th man on another team.
Kessler was Minny’s pick. The trade happened after the draft in July.
However, all three 2023 Jazz picks were quality players. All 3 have started for the Jazz multiple times this year. George and Hendricks already have had big impacts on the team. Sensabaugh was brought up later but showing he’s a rotation player already.
SGA just resting, he already had the game limit for awards. They need to get the others flowing. Giddey confidence has gone way up recently, give SGA his time so he is ready for playoffs.
It’s championship week next week. Markannen has been ruled for the season, I lost Barnes weeks ago, Porzingis is unreliable and will be resting frequently from here on out. Mikal Bridges and Vassell will only carry me so far. I need SGA for the finals next week!