The Denver Nuggets will play the Portland Trail Blazers on the road Saturday. Denver currently sits in second place in the Western Conference, trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder by just a half-game. The Nuggets are the favorite against Portland, as the Blazers are 15th in the West, but Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are among the Denver players listed on the injury report.
Jokic and Murray have emerged as one of the best duos in the NBA over the past few years. The Nuggets are the reigning champions, and Jokic and Murray led the way during the team's championship season.
Denver is primarily concerned with keeping their stars healthy for the playoffs. That means the Nuggets will proceed with extreme caution when it comes to injury concerns right now. However, Denver would love to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
So are Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray playing tonight vs. the Blazers?
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Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray injury statuses vs. Blazers
Jokic and Murray were both initially listed as questionable for Saturday night's game, per the NBA Injury Report. Jokic is battling low-back pain and left-hip inflammation, while Murray is dealing with a left-ankle sprain. However, hours before tipoff, the Nuggets ruled both players out, per Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports.
Jokic is once again in the MVP conversation. He's seemingly a legitimate candidate every season. The Serbian is currently averaging 26.1 points per game on 58.1 percent field-goal and 35.2 percent 3-point shooting. He is also recording 12.3 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.9 blocks per outing. There is no question that Jokic is one of the best players in the NBA.
Murray is also having a strong season. He's averaging 20.9 points per game on 47.5 percent field-goal and 41.9 percent 3-point shooting to go along with 4.1 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per outing.
Both Jokic and Murray are capable of leading a team. They could probably find success in a different scenario. However, playing together has helped them consistently find success when healthy.
There are plenty of great duos around the NBA. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, and LeBron James and Anthony Davis are just a few of the top duos around the league. But Jokic and Murray are certainly at or near the top.
Nuggets looking ahead
The Nuggets are set for a one-game road trip before returning home. They will play five-consecutive games in front of their home fans before heading on the road again. The homestand, however, will prove to be a challenge with talented teams such as the Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Cleveland Cavaliers set to visit Denver.
For now, Denver will focus on their Saturday night affair in Portland. When it comes to the question of if Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are playing tonight vs. the Blazers, though, the answer is unfortunately no.
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