With just around a month remaining in the regular season, there is still some uncertainty regarding when, and if, star guard Jamal Murray will return to game action for the Denver Nuggets during the current campaign. Murray has been sidelined since suffering a torn ACL during a game last April, and at this point, his return remains a fifty-fifty proposition, according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post. In addition to Murray, the Nuggets have also been without Michael Porter Jr. for the vast majority of the season after he underwent back surgery.
From the Denver Post:
Nearly 11 months after tearing his left ACL, Murray is getting physically closer to returning, although no return is assured this season, league sources told The Denver Post. With a month left in the regular season, two league sources described chances of his return at 50-50 at this point. Another league source emphasized the decision on when to return lies with him.
As of now, the Nuggets don’t have a cut-off date for when a return would be impossible, two sources said. Murray and the team are taking it on a day-by-day basis. At this point, Murray is getting treatment, testing his body and seeing how it reacts… The next hurdles involve playing 3-on-3 and 4-on-4, improving his conditioning and getting his heart rate up, however none of that matters if Murray’s not mentally ready to return. That’s a decision that only he can answer.
The Nuggets have 15 regular-season games remaining, and although getting Murray back would obviously be an enormous boost, it doesn’t seem like something that the team can count on at this point in time. Even if Murray does return this season, one has to wonder how long it would take him to feel completely comfortable and return to his pre-injury form.
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Even without the services of Murray, or Porter Jr., the Nuggets are still in the thick of the playoff picture in the Western Conference — a testament to the stellar play of reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, who is in the midst of a second straight MVP-caliber campaign. As good as Jokic has been, though, he’ll need some help if the Nuggets are going to make a real run in the playoffs, so the team just has to hope that both Murray and Porter Jr. are able to return in the near future.
