Jamal Murray keeps hot streak going despite knee issue for Denver Nuggets
David Zalubowski
Jamal Murray is staying hot with an assist from anti-inflammatories.
After dropping a season-high 45 points on 26 shots in a win against Dallas on Tuesday, the Nuggets’ starting guard was almost as efficient on the second night of Denver’s back-to-back set despite starting the day listed as probable on the team’s injury report with left knee inflammation. Murray carries the same status into Friday’s game in Miami.
The same knee Murray had his anterior cruciate ligament repaired back in 2023 started bothering the 27-year-old during Friday’s win over Brooklyn, and he didn’t play after halftime against the Nets, but he was available, and productive, on both ends of this week’s back-to-back.
“Good,” Murray responded when asked how his knee felt after Wednesday’s 128-108 loss to the Rockets. “The anti-inflammatories, man…”
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While Murray was available, the Nuggets were without Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon against the Rockets, who started Thursday second in the Western Conference standings. That meant all eyes were on Murray, including Houston’s two best perimeter defenders: Dillon Brooks and Amen Thompson.
“Against that defense who gave Jamal so much attention, it was great to see him put up another really efficient night. That’s the most important thing for me,” Denver coach Michael Malone said.
“Not only did he score, but he did it in a very efficient manner against an elite defense with a lot of guys that are big, strong, physical. They were trying to take him out without Nikola and Aaron.”
Murray was part of Denver’s turnover problem, committing five of the team’s 20, but he was also one of the few players to make up for it in other areas. He made 8 of 14 shots and missed only one of his five attempts from 3-point range. He added five assists and four rebounds, as the medication helped him play 30 minutes a night after playing 37. He finished with a team-high 22 points, which was matched by Christian Braun, who went 2 for 3 from distance.
“Most importantly, aside from all those numbers, is just how confident and aggressive that he was, that was definitely a positive for us,” Malone said of Braun.
“It was good to see CB kind of see that ball go through the net like he did tonight. Hopefully, that can transition into this two-game road trip down to Florida.”
Braun and Murray have both experienced hot and cold stretches from 3 to start the season in inverse fashion. Murray shot 32% from 3 in November, while Braun went 51% from deep that month. Things flipped in December with Murray going 42% from 3 to Braun’s 18%. The gap has closed a bit to start 2025, something that is important to Denver’s prospects the rest of the season and beyond.
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“Just shoot it now and get used to it. Get used to missing three or four in a row so that those next couple, when you get them, you’re confident enough to just shoot it, just pull it and not thinking about anything. … Not just him but everybody,” Murray said when asked about Braun’s handling of the hot-and-cold start to the season.
“We’re trying to get all these guys ready, trying to get all these guys confident. We’re going to need every single one of them in the playoffs.”
Confidence hasn’t been an issue for Murray, but his health has been a concern for much of the first half of the season. That might be the most important part of Denver’s outlook for the rest of the regular season and beyond.
