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Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray left the team’s game against the Miami Heat on Thursday after suffering a sprained right ankle and was later ruled out.
Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
Jamal Murray is ruled out for the remainder of the game with a sprained right ankle. https://t.co/DQBHZScLNz
Murray drove to the basket in the second quarter and jumped to pass the ball, landing awkwardly after stepping on teammate Aaron Gordon’s foot. The exact severity of his sprained ankle and his future status are currently unknown.
Before his departure, Murray recorded six points and three assists on 2-6 shooting in 14 minutes of action.
The 27-year-old has already been ruled out of 16 games this season, including a streak of 11 consecutive missed appearances starting November 6 due to a hamstring. injury. The Nuggets struggled when Murray was sidelined, owning a record of just 9-7 without him compared to the team’s overall mark of 40-19.
He was already suffering from bilateral inflammation of the shin, classified as shin splints, which caused him to miss a few games earlier in February. Nuggets head coach Michael Malone told reporters on Feb. 23 that “every time he plays, it’s going to be a problem,” according to John Hollinger from The Athletic.
Denver is hoping Murray’s injury isn’t serious, as he missed the team’s 2021 and 2022 playoff appearances due to a torn ACL he suffered in April 2021.
The former first-round pick continued to excel in his 43 starts heading into Thursday’s game against Miami, averaging 20.9 points and 6.4 assists per game while shooting 48 percent from from the field and 42 percent behind the arc.
If Murray is forced to miss time, backup point guard Reggie Jackson will likely see an increased role. The veteran floor general recorded 10.6 points and 3.9 assists each night in 59 appearances, shooting 36.3 percent from three-point range.
