Nuggets guard Jamal Murray sprains right ankle in loss to Mavericks
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DENVER — Jamal Murray left Monday night’s 131-121 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks with a right ankle sprain, putting another key Denver Nuggets starter on the injury list.
The point guard was hurt early in the third quarter at Ball Arena. After limping to the locker room, he returned to finish the period but did not appear on the bench for the final 12 minutes. Head coach David Adelman said Murray will undergo further evaluation on Tuesday.
“It’s a huge absence, obviously, offensively,” Adelman said. “Jamal’s such a tough player. If he sits himself because of the pain, it probably hurts. I’m hoping he can come back for the next game.”
Murray entered the night averaging a career-best 24.0 points per game. He closed with 10 points and nine assists before the injury. Forward Spencer Jones, who posted a career-high 28 points, called the loss of Murray late in the game a significant blow. “Everybody knows the deadly pick-and-roll of Mal and Nikola Jokic. We definitely struggled,” Jones said.
The 28-year-old guard previously tore his left ACL late in the 2020-21 season and later averaged 26.1 points and 7.1 assists during the 2023 postseason, helping Denver capture its first NBA championship.
If Murray is sidelined, he would join starters Aaron Gordon (right hamstring) and Christian Braun (left ankle sprain) on the injury report. Gordon has been out since Nov. 21 in Houston and is not expected back until late December or early January. Braun sprained his ankle Nov. 12 against the Clippers and was projected to miss at least six weeks.
Adelman acknowledged the impact of the absences but insisted the team still has enough talent to defend more consistently. “I’m not going to come in here any night and sit down and talk about guys that are out. We have enough here to be more consistent defensively,” he said.
Source: ESPN
