The Denver Nuggets have announced that star point guard Jamal Murray could miss out on Game 1 of their Western Conference Finals series against the LA Lakers.
Murray was a pivotal piece to their rotation in the first two rounds and his production is extremely valuable to the team's success in the playoffs.
Murray has been listed as questionable for tomorrow's game as he is currently dealing with illness. For the Nuggets, not having their point guard in their first game of the Conference Finals could take a toll on some of their players who haven't been exposed to the intensity of the third round.
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However, the Nuggets aren't the only team dealing with lineup adjustments as the Lakers reported earlier that LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both listed as probable.
During the second round of the postseason, Murray played a huge part in taking down the Phoenix Suns. Together with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, the Canadian point guard averaged 24.8 points 4.8 rebounds and 6.5 assists in 35.9% shooting from beyond the arc.
This is the first full season for Murray after rehabbing his knee injury that he suffered back in the 2021 postseason against the Golden State Warriors.
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Grading Jamal Murray's first season back from injury
Jamal Murray is one of the brightest stars in today's league and has been since getting drafted. His development was held back for a while after suffering a torn ACL, which he had to rehab for an entire season.
Even after being held back, however, Murray has displayed how talented he is on the court for the Nuggets this season.
Denver didn't rush his return to the lineup and managed his games well throughout the season. The coaching staff allowed Murray only 65 games in his sixth season in the league. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists to help the Nuggets capture the best record in the West.
Based on his stats alone, it seems as though he hasn't missed a beat and is still one of the top guards in the NBA. His numbers this season are similar to what he had during the season he tore his ACL. Although he's lost a bit of athleticism, it hasn't been a disadvantage for him.
Overall grade: A-
His efficiency on the floor hasn't changed much and is still a reliable threat on the floor for the Nuggets. With him on the floor, alongside Jokic, there's no doubt that the Nuggets are a threat to any team in the West and could win it all this season.
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