As the Denver Nuggets prepare for a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, all eyes have been on the All-Star, Jamal Murray.
The veteran has been dealing with an illness, which took him off the floor midway through the Nuggets’ February 25 matchup against the Boston Celtics. Murray checked out after appearing in fewer than eight minutes.
It was clear he wasn’t 100%, as Murray made just 33% of his shots, scoring two points and dishing out one assist.
After the game, Nuggets head coach David Adelman addressed the early exit from Murray, with a concerning quote.
“He looked awful,” the head coach told reporters. “They gave him all the medication. It did not help. All kinds of bodily things were happening.”
Will Jamal Murray Return For The Nuggets-Thunder Game?
The Nuggets kept Murray downgraded for Friday night’s February 27 game, listing him as questionable. The official injury designation is an illness.
Despite being 50/50, the Nuggets will clear Murray for action. He has been upgraded to available.
Since returning from the All-Star break, the Nuggets have played in four games, Murray was a part of each matchup. The Nuggets have gone 2-2 during that stretch,
Following a big 103-84 win over the Boston Celtics earlier this week, the Nuggets are looking to form a winning streak for the first time since late January. After defeating the Los Angeles Clippers on January 30, the Nuggets went on a three-game losing streak, which included losses against the Thunder, Detroit Pistons, and the New York Knicks. Since defeating the Chicago Bulls on February 7, the Nuggets have flip-flopped wins and losses every game.
Where Do The Nuggets Stand?
Once again, the Nuggets are one of the top contenders in the Western Conference. Despite losing Nikola Jokic for a month-long stretch this season, Murray helped keep the Nuggets at the same winning pace.
Heading into Friday night’s action, the Nuggets hold a 37-22 record. They are less than one game behind the third-seeded Houston Rockets. Then, there is a lengthy lead between the third seed and the top two seeds, which are possessed by the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
So far this season, the Nuggets and the Thunder have faced off just once. Back on February 1, the Thunder took care of business against Denver. Murray checked in for 35 minutes. He scored 12 points, while collecting the double-double with 12 assists. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.
The February 27 outing will tip off at 9:30 PM ET.
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