[Saba Sports News] The Denver Nuggets will be missing their key player for an extended period.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski’s report on Wednesday, Nuggets’ guard Jamal Murray is expected to remain sidelined for the remainder of November due to a hamstring strain.
Wojnarowski emphasizes that Denver is taking a cautious approach with Murray, anticipating that he will be out for three to four weeks, which could potentially extend his absence into early-to-mid December.
Murray, a former lottery pick, is known as Denver’s top off-the-dribble shot-maker and had been averaging a career-high 7.4 assists per game early in the season. He missed Monday’s victory over New Orleans due to the hamstring issue, and it now appears likely that he will miss at least another dozen games or more.
This setback could significantly impact the Nuggets’ prospects in the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament, which runs from Nov. 28 for group play to Dec. 4-9 for the playoffs. However, Denver, as the reigning champions, is likely more focused on ensuring Murray’s full recovery in time for the actual NBA postseason, especially given the persistent nature of hamstring injuries and Murray’s reliance on agility and speed to create separation from defenders.
Despite Murray’s absence, the Nuggets have had a strong start to the season with a 7-1 record, and they can look to Reggie Jackson to help fill the scoring and playmaking void. Nonetheless, the team has been plagued by injuries in recent months, and Murray’s extended absence continues this unfortunate trend.