Jamal Murray injured late, as Nuggets fall to Steph Curry and the Warriors
Apr 13, 2021, 6:52 AM
Jamal Murray had sat out the last four games prior to Monday’s nationally televised game against the Warriors. The Nuggets wish it would have been five.
In the final minute of what turned out to be a 116-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors, Murray drove to the lane in a desperate attempt to keep the Nuggets in a game that they let slip from their hands thanks to inconsistent defense and Stephen Curry’s 53-point outburst. Without any significant contact, Murray’s left knee buckled, and he tumbled to the ground in obvious pain, slamming his hand on the hardwood below the basket.
“Some of the (assistant) coaches said when they watched the replay, it looked like he hyperextended it. He just came back (from a right knee injury); he was gone for four days. His (right) knee had been bothering him. Just an awful feeling. Keep Jamal in your thoughts and prayers, and hopefully we will get some good news,” head coach Michael Malone said after the game.
The Nuggets’ entire identity is predicated upon the dynamic between the wizardry of Nikola Jokic and the fiery competitiveness of Murray, who exploded onto the playoff scene in Orlando last fall. Without him, the Nuggets’ chances of returning to the Western Conference Finals appear dismal.
“Y’all know what he means to us; he’s ‘The Dude’ – Nikola and Jamal. They brought this team to new heights. You talk about their closing (games) all the time,” Michael Porter Jr. explained. “We need Jamal. But we are more worried about his well-being right now; how he is individually rather than the team. The team right now is an afterthought.”
The fatigued Nuggets had planned to stay in San Francisco after their second back-to-back in seven days, but while fearing the worst for their injured teammate, it’s unlikely they’ll get much rest.
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NEXT UP: Nuggets (34-20) vs. Heat (28-25) | Wednesday, Apr. 14 at 8:00 p.m.
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TEAM NOTES
• Paul Millsap did not play on Monday despite being healthy. Since the addition of JaVale McGee at the trade deadline, coach Michael Malone has struggled trying to find time for Millsap, McGee and JaMychal Green, as the trio have overlapping skill sets. Unfortunately, of late, that means that one of them has simply sat out the game, reducing the number of veteran players available off the bench — and that unit has struggled mightily over the last week.
• Over the last three games, the Nuggets have surrendered 21.3 points per game off of turnovers. Against the Warriors, their 19 turnovers led to 23 Golden State points, and the Nuggets looked unusually careless with the ball.
• In the last two games — both losses — the Nuggets’ three-point shooting percentage has plummeted. An 8-for-34 performance against the Celtics on Sunday, coupled with Monday’s 8-for-26, combines for a dismal 26.7 percent success rate from behind the arc.
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PLAYER NOTES
• Nikola Jokic had 27 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in the loss on Monday, but once again, Jokic seemed preoccupied with officiating far too often, and the Warriors’ fast-paced offense took advantage, using their speed to change the tempo of the game, as Golden State coach Steve Kerr suggested might work against the methodical MVP candidate earlier in the day.
• Michael Porter Jr. has been forcing his shots in the last two games in an effort to jump-start the Nuggets’ offense, and his accuracy from three-point range has fallen off a cliff. After a 1-for7 performance on Monday, Porter Jr. has shot 2-for-19 (10.5 percent) from behind the arc. He did shoot 10-for-14 on two-pointers, however, and he’s still averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds over the last two games.
• Aaron Gordon wasn’t a factor in Monday’s loss, scoring only nine points and grabbing six rebounds in his 23 minutes on the floor. In those minutes, he had a lot of difficulty with Draymond Green and other Warriors on defense, ending up with a minus-15 on the night.
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THE FINAL WORD
“Yes, we lost the game, but I think everybody’s thoughts are with Jamal and hoping that he’s going to be okay.” — Head coach Michael Malone, on Jamal Murray’s frightening, non-contact knee injury late in Monday’s game.
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INJURY WATCH:
• Jamal Murray (knee) was injured in the final minute of the Apr. 12 game. The Nuggets expect to know the severity of the injury on Tuesday.
• Shaquille Harrison (COVID-19 protocols) has yet to play with the Nuggets since his signing on Apr. 9.
• Greg Whittington (knee) last played on Mar. 15 and is considered week-to-week.
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ROTATION (MINUTES)
Starters:
G Jamal Murray (33)
G-F Will Barton (33)
F Michael Porter Jr. (38)
F Aaron Gordon (23)
C Nikola Jokic (37)
Bench:
G Facundo Campazzo (21)
G Monte Morris (21)
F JaMychal Green (15)
C JaVale McGee (11)
G-F P.J. Dozier (8)
F Bol Bol (DNP-CD)
F Vlatko Cancar (DNP-CD)
G Markus Howard (DNP-CD)
F Paul Millsap (DNP-CD)
F Zeke Nnaji (DNP-CD)
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Shawn Drotar is the host of “The Fan Late Night with Shawn Drotar;” weeknights from 10:00 p.m. to midnight — only on 104.3 The Fan. Follow him on Twitter at @sdrotar.
