The Denver Nuggets will be without their floor general for at least all of November. Jamal Murray recently suffered a hamstring strain in a victory against the Chicago Bulls at Ball Arena on November 4th. The point guard came off the court limping to begin the second quarter during the matchup. Head coach, Michael Malone, had this to say about Murray’s injury.
“This will be something that will be longer than we would like,” Malone said this week. “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.”
Jamal Murray has yet to make an All-Star or All-NBA Team in his career. However, his value to the Nuggets is still extremely important. His play, especially during the playoffs, still says he is an All-Star type of point guard. He would be eligible for a supermax extension were he to make an All-NBA Team this year. Not to mention, he and Nikola Jokic, are arguably the most unstoppable duo in the entire NBA. All in all, Murray’s presence is going to be missed while he recovers.
Denver Nuggets Point Guard, Jamal Murray, to Miss All of November Due to Hamstring Strain Suffered in Win Over Chicago Bulls
Jamal Murray’s Impact
It would be unfair to judge the little sample size we have gotten from Jamal Murray to start the season. However, his playoff numbers prove that he is one of the premier playoff performers in the league. Last year, the Kentucky product tallied 26.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.7 total rebounds per game while shooting 47.3 percent from the field in route to Denver’s first title.
His playoff totals as a whole are also impressive. Throughout his career, Murray has averaged 25.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.0 total rebounds per game to go along with a three-point shooting percentage of 40.4 percent during postseason play. With this in mind, it makes sense why Denver is being cautious with Jamal Murray in hopes he will be 100 percent for the playoffs in the distant future.
Denver Still Proving Why They are the Defending Champions
The Denver Nuggets are still playing at an elite level even without their second star. Nikola Jokic is playing arguably the best basketball of his career and Michael Porter Jr. appears to be evolving his game. They are coming off an impressive home win over the Golden State Warriors and currently possess the best record in the NBA at 8-1 as of November 9th. Their second unit, which was one aspect peers were worried about entering the season, has also been a revelation.
Even without Bruce Brown, the young players such as Christian Braun and Peyton Watson have stepped up in a huge way to start the campaign. The team as a whole has not missed a beat since winning the NBA Finals. They currently rank second in offensive rating at 118.4 and seventh in defensive rating at 107.6. A top-five offense paired with a top-10 defense is always a recipe for success and the Denver Nuggets appear to be cooking something special this season even with Jamal Murray missing some time.
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