Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray, who turned 27 years old on February 23, will miss Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers due to bilateral tibia inflammation, per the NBA injury report.
Murray won't get the chance to shine on his birthday. However, Denver is taking on a Blazers team that has struggled mightily throughout the 2023-24 season. Portland will enter the contest sporting a 15-39 record.
Potential 2023-24 MVP Nikola Jokic is healthy and will play, so the Nuggets will still have confidence in this game. Still, Murray will be missed without question.
Nuggets will miss Jamal Murray vs. Blazers
Murray was snubbed from the NBA All-Star game but is one of the better guards in the league. Murray is averaging 20.4 points per outing on 47 percent field goal and 40.6 percent three-point shooting. He's also recording 3.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.
Murray played a crucial role in helping the Nuggets win the 2022-23 championship. Jokic was incredible, of course, and players such as Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. stepped up as well. Without Murray, though, the Nuggets may have fell short of winning the NBA Finals.
It was a resurgent effort for Murray after missing all of 2021-22 with an ACL injury. His ability to bounce back and perform at a high level was incredibly impressive. Murray may not have been an All-Star, but he could have an opportunity to become a two-time NBA champion this season.
And that would be quite the feat at just 27 years old.
“Obviously, I would love to be an All-Star,” Murray said before the All-Star break, via Sam Amick of The Athletic. “I’d love to get that kind of recognition. But I think when you win in the playoffs, you win on the biggest stages you play and show yourself on the biggest stages and you prove yourself against those so-called All-Stars, (then it’s) whatever.”
Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets will attempt to take care of business on the road in Portland Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 PM EST.
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