Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is happy to have Jamal Murray back, but he knows very well his teammate won't be his usual self when he plays for the first time in over a year on Wednesday night.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Jokic got painfully honest about Murray's condition. The veteran guard missed the whole 2021-22 campaign as he was recovering form the ACL injury he suffered in the season prior, so of course he is expected to be rusty. Despite that, however, the Joker is not one bit bothered by it since he knows what the Nuggets are capable of.
“I love to play with him, of course. I know he’s gonna be really bad for the next 20 games, but we’re gonna survive,” Jokic said, per Mike Singer of the Denver Post.
In real Nikola Jokic fashion, the Serbian superstar was just being funny, all while tempering the expectations on his running mate.
True enough, Nuggets supporters and NBA fans in general should not expect Jamal Murray to be the same 20-point scorer he was before his injury. It will take time, and clearly, his teammates understand it and are ready to wait for him until he is more comfortable.
For what it's worth, Murray does look like he is ready to grind and recapture his form, promising fans earlier that he is “mentally different” this 2022-23.
The Nuggets open the season against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, and barring any setback, Murray should be good to go.
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