Denver Nuggets big name Jamal Murray left the team’s 119-116 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night with a concussion. It’s too early to decide on a timeline, but he could face necromancy on the side depending on how long it takes him to walk during the concussion protocol.
Early in the third quarter, Murray cut back to the basket off a Nikola Jokic screen, and curled closer into long-shot fashion to set up a backscreen for Aaron Gordon. Ahead Murray could be ready, however, Anthony Edwards pushed him, causing him to lean forward. As a result, when Julius Randle tried to get in the way of the screen, he crashed into Murray’s head instead of his chest.
Murray instantly doubled over and began rubbing his head. He stayed there briefly, but the closest he came to getting rid of the game was sending it to the attic room, from where it did not return.
Again, it is too early to say how many games, if any, Murray will miss due to this incident. However, the influence and initial response surely didn’t look good, and the Nuggets will play again on Saturday against the Utah Jazz on the second night of a back-to-back.
This surprise continues a difficult start to the season for Murray, who did not look like himself last season in the playoffs or at the 2024 Paris Olympics before competing this summer for Canada.
He entered Friday averaging 19 points, five rebounds and five assists on 38% shooting from the field through the Nuggets’ first four games. Coming out against the Timberwolves, he only had six points, two rebounds and three assists on seven shots in 22 minutes.
Murray’s needy games are a big reason why the Nuggets started this season 2-3, and had to fight through overtime against the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors just to get their two wins.
There are real doubts about whether Murray can still be an elite Deny. Second option next to Jokic, but he is at least someone fighters should admire. The same can’t be said for the majority of the Nuggets’ supporting cast, who have really struggled.
Coming into Friday, the Nuggets bench was averaging just 22.5 points per game, which ranked 28th in the league. Denver, which nearly lost several key position players in recent years, has tried to build a bench with a mix of veterans (Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric) and kids (Peyton Watson, Hunter Tyson, Julian Strawther), but It just hasn’t worked.
Surely, Murray being pressured to skip a vital presentation would lead to a disease of obesity for the Nuggets, who are already losing time in a crowded Western convention.
