Nuggets Jamal Murray gives a date for when he’ll be back from knee injury

Denver Nuggets fans can take a huge deep breath coming out of the All-Star Break.

Star point guard Jamal Murray sat the final six games ahead of the midseason classic, resting knee soreness in his non-surgically repaired knee. Knee surgery to repair an ACL tear kept Murray out the entirety of last season and down the stretch of the 2020-21 season. Some fans were anxious about Murray’s knees for the Nuggets final 23 games but it appears the half dozen games off were precautionary.

Murray was playing his best basketball just ahead of sitting, scoring 30 or more points in three straight games, all Denver wins against likely playoff teams. The 6-3 guard, who turns 26 on Thursday, told reporters he plans to return to the Nuggets lineup that night in Cleveland.

Michael Malone seems confident Murray will be able to go Thursday. Aaron Gordon’s status sounds more iffy. https://t.co/VjO3j5LjD2

— Vinny Benedetto (@VBenedetto) February 22, 2023

The last time Murray played in Cleveland he exploded for a career-high 50 points. The Cavs are one of the better teams in the NBA this season and the Nuggets will have a tough stretch out of the break, playing three games in four nights. They’ll travel to Memphis for a matchup between No. 1 and No. 2 in the west on Saturday followed by the return of Bones Hyland and the vaunted Clippers a day later in Denver.

At 20.2 points and 5.8 assists per game, Murray may be having his best pro season yet. So too is Aaron Gordon, who is putting up 17.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. But he’s been in and out of the lineup, missing three straight games before the Break and five of eight before All-Star Weekend.

Head coach Michael Malone all but committed to Murray playing in the first game of the second half. However, Malone did hesitate on Aaron Gordon. Even if both do play, it’s reasonable to think the Nuggets will rest some players Saturday or Sunday in their coming back-to-back.

The Nuggets are five games up on the Grizzlies and eight on the Kings, meaning their chances of being the 1 or 2 seed in the playoffs are nearly locked up already. Denver is just one win away from securing their sixth straight plus-.500 season under Malone.

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