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The Denver Nuggets are fighting to keep their championship hopes alive as they're down 3-2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. They may get a boost since the game is at home, but things may have taken a turn for the worse as Jamal Murray was listed on the injury report with an illness.
Murray was listed as questionable, and it's not certain how serious the illness is. He had enough time to try and get better between earlier today and gametime, but it's definitely something that could affect his game. However, he has been officially upgraded to available, the team announced (update via ClutchPoints).
The Nuggets are going to need Murray on the floor to give them the best chance to extend their series to Game 7.
The Nuggets seemed to have the advantage over the Thunder late in the past two games, but they have not been able to sustain their leads. In Game 5, the Nuggets were up by double digits at one point but were not able to make shots down the stretch, while the Thunder did all they could do and won the game.
A similar thing happened in Game 4 with the Nuggets as they fought back after being down in the first half. The Nuggets went into the fourth quarter with the lead, but the Thunder quickly erased it, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led them to victory. After that loss, Murray offered some optimism for the team.
“It's not a funeral, guys,” Murray said. “Best out of three. We lost the game. Onto the next.”
Nikola Jokic is doing all he can to help reel the team to victory, and Murray has been right by his side with his scoring ability. On the other hand, Michael Porter Jr. has not been able to get into a rhythm all series because of a shoulder injury he's dealing with, and it's been affecting his shooting.
If Murray isn't his best in Game 6, they're going to need somebody to step up in his place.
