Nuggets trainer dismisses criticism on sitting out Nikola Jokić & Jamal Murray (EXCLUSIVE)

Even before the Denver Nuggets labored through a 120-108 loss to the LA Lakers on Wednesday, Nuggets coach Michael Malone became irritated with another development.

With Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (left ankle, right elbow) and Jamal Murray (right ankle) set to miss their second consecutive game because of various injuries, Malone pushed back against any suspicion that the organization simply has rested its key players with less than a month before the playoffs start.

“I think that’s just a bunch of bull---,” Malone said. “I think in the last 10 years, Nikola Jokić has played the second-most games in the NBA. The guys in that top-10, none of them are superstars. So if Nikola is not playing, it’s not because he’s sitting. It’s not because he needs rest. It’s because he’s hurt. He’s trying to play through things that most wouldn’t.

"And we’re at a point right now where we have to do what’s best for not just Nikola, but all of our guys as we move forward and try to close out the season. We don’t rest guys. If guys miss games, it’s because they are unable to go out there and perform at the level we need them to perform at. I think that’s important everybody knows that."

Afterwards, Malone expressed uncertainty on whether Jokić and Murray will return when the Nuggets (44-26) play against the Portland Trail Blazers (31-39) on Friday. Malone sensed, however, that “Jamal is closer than Nikola.”

Both Jokić and Murray missed the Nuggets’ past two games in Golden State (Monday) and the Lakers (Wednesday). Denver had also considered sitting Jokic in its second matchup against the OKC Thunder on March 10, but the team acquiesced to his want to play.

“They both want to be out there with their teammates,” Malone said. “They understand what time of the year it is and how valuable each and every one of these games are.

"But we also have to do right by them and make sure this doesn’t become something even bigger and even more concerning. So if they’re back for Portland, great. If not, we have enough in that room to try to get a win against a division opponent.”

The Nuggets have managed injuries almost all season.

Murray missed seven other games this season for injuries involving his right ankle, left knee and right hamstring as well as a concussion. Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon missed a combined 30 games mostly to heal his right calf. Nuggets guard Christian Braun also missed Monday’s game against the Warriors with right foot inflammation.

“You listen to your body,” Malone said. “It’s not just Nikola. It’s our training staff. I have to as a head coach trust our players as well as trust the training staff.”

That includes, Felipe Eichenberger, who is the Nuggets’ director of performance and head strength-and-conditioning coach and works closely with Jokić. Eichenberger spoke with Sportskeeda about the team’s various injuries and more.

Editor’s note: The following one-on-one conversation has been edited and condensed

How have Nikola and Jamal been managing their different injuries?

Eichenberger: “They’re doing a good job. At this part of the season, everybody is ready to go, but everybody is also banged up. We want to get through the playoffs healthy.”

Before the game, Malone strongly pushed back on criticism that you all sat a lot of your guys against the Warriors. What perspective can you give on that?

Eichenberger: “I don’t really care what people say on that. We try to keep the guys on the court as much as possible. For the guys like Jamal and Nikola that aren’t playing, they have such a passion for the game. So they’re not sitting out. There are multiple reasons for it.

"This is a team that I can tell you how much they like playing basketball. That might not always be the case with professional athletes. But with this team, we have some hard workers. If they’re not playing, then there’s a big reason for it.”

Meanwhile, it’s been reported that Nikola went back and forth with you on wanting to play in the recent Thunder game. What was your feedback?

Eichenberger: “That is more on how he feels. If you look at how many years he’s played, he’s played so many games. So his usage is very high. It’s about being smart. If we want to make a push in the playoffs, we got to be smart with everything that he’s doing. If he doesn’t play, he’s going to work out.

"If he works out, he’s going to work out hard. So he prefers playing over working out. He wants to play all the time. But it’s about being smart with everybody on the team right now. I don’t think these guys are resting for no reason. They have injuries.”

What did you take away from Jokic stating his case about playing?

Eichenberger: “That’s who he is. He wants to play games. He wants to work hard. He wants to practice. He wants to lift weights. Everything he does, he does it with such intensity. So there is no question that if he can play, he can play. That is the person he is.”

What perspective can you share what Jamal was dealing with his injuries during the playoffs, the Olympics and recently?

Eichenberger: “Coming off his knee surgery with his ACL [in 2021], his body is still pushing through a lot of things. It’s about getting him ready. There is not much that he’s not doing. But he’s playing. He’s a true professional. He’s always working hard.

"Sometimes when the ball doesn’t go in for him, people say he’s playing poorly. But every single player goes through phases. I really hope that as we gear up for the playoffs that everything starts going in and he can peak at the right time.

"Jamal manages it well. One of the biggest thing about Jamal is his mindset. It’s the strongest that I’ve seen for a long time. Whatever he goes through, he goes through. But he’s strong-minded. So at some point, he will get through it.”

How have you seen Aaron fight through his injuries this season?

Eichenberger: “The same thing goes for Aaron. He is a kind of guy that is also a true professional. Everything that we ask him to do, he’s there. When his mindset is not there, he’ll let you know.

"But at the same time, he will be a guy that will tell you how he feels. You respect it because he’s been through so much. He’s still professional and does the work that he needs to do.”

Take a step back and look at the big picture, how have you seen this group manage the physical toll compared to other seasons?

Eichenberger: “Good. Every day is different. Everybody does what they’re supposed to do. So right now where we are, we’re in a good spot. We’re just getting ready for the playoffs. Hopefully we can peak at the right time, peak during the playoffs and make the push again and win it again.”

There’s often a school of thought that teams that win an NBA title or make deep playoff runs feel that toll carrying through the next season. To what extent do you think that applies with this team since the NBA championship run [in 2023]?

Eichenberger: “Last year during the playoffs, we got to a point where we were kind of tired. So now we’re hoping this year that we’ll be fresh and ready to go. So I think that’s the perspective to expect. Everybody will be ready to go when the time counts.

"We’re doing a good job with adapting to the players that we have. We don’t have as many young players as we used to. So we’ve been pulling back on shootarounds and stuff like that.”

How does Jokić’s current seasons compare to his other MVP seasons?

Eichenberger: “It’s hard to say. He’s so consistent. Last game, he didn’t play so people freak out. But he’s been consistent with his numbers. He’s breaking records almost every day and every week. He’s in the MVP conversation every year. He should win this year again. He’s as consistent as can be.”

When considering the field this year, where does Nikola have the edge over other MVP candidates?

Eichenberger: “His consistency. When you average a triple-double, it’s hard to argue why not. You see his numbers. The league has been heavy on numbers for so long. So why would you change that? If you see his progression with where he is, it shouldn’t be, ‘He won before, so he shouldn’t win anymore.’ I don’t think that’s fair.’

"He plays banged up. If you go back to the Boston game, for the last 10 minutes of the game, he could barely run. He’s a guy that is playing through some stuff. But if you see the guy work, you will see how he does his tasks every single day.

"I feel like a lot of voters don’t really watch the Nuggets a lot. Some may say, ‘I’ll have to start watching now before I vote for MVP.’ But you just watch for the last 10 games. Just watch us. We were such an unselfish team, and he was a big part of it. He’s had 29 triple-doubles in one season. With what he is doing for the league and if you look at the numbers, that’s what should decide the MVP. He has the biggest case.”

What peek behind the curtain can you give on what Nikola’s routine is on game days and non game days compared to other years

Eichenberger: “His routine is the same routine since probably he was at the bubble [in 2020] where we work out hard after the game. That game that he had an incredible line where he had 31 [points], 22 [assists] and 21 [rebounds vs Phoenix], he was still in the weight room afterwards. It was a heavy, heavy day. We played in overtime, and he still was lifting really, really heavy.”

What’s your comfort level with the team’s health entering the final stretch here?

Eichenberger: “I’m comfortable. Everybody is ready to go. We still have a couple of weeks. We have to fine-tune a couple of things. But I think that we’re in a good spot.”

Mark Medina is an NBA insider for Sportskeeda. Follow him on X, Blue Sky, Instagram, Facebook and Threads.