Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets went down with an ankle injury in the team’s Friday night game against the New York Knicks.
While Murray was originally listed as questionable to return by the team, he ended up sitting out the rest of the game, which Denver lost 142-103, the most points they’ve given up, and their worst blowout of the season.
However, a new Murray injury update signals the ankle injury might not be as bad as initially thought.
“Multiple Nuggets sources were cautiously optimistic after the game Friday that Murray had suffered a more mild sprain,” Bennett Durando of the Denver Post wrote. “But the team was still waiting to get more thorough test results over the weekend, one source said.”
Nonetheless, here is Jamal’s new injury
Murray played just 18 minutes before going down with the ankle injury in the first half, recording 12 points and three assists before leaving the game.
Nuggets React To Jamal Murray Ankle Injury
Denver has been one of the most unhealthy teams this season, rarely getting a chance to use its full roster in 2025-26. While it was Aaron Gordon’s first appearance back from a 17-game absence, the Nuggets are now without Murray for the time being.
Speaking postgame, head coach David Adelman said he also didn’t think it would become a long-term issue, but was still waiting on confirmation of Murray’s injury until the team doctors make a final diagnosis.
“They’re gonna check on it tomorrow,” Adelman said. “It’s really sore. You guys all know Jamal. When he sprains his ankle, he usually comes back and plays.”
Nuggets guard Christian Braun also commented on Murray’s ankle injury and playing the second half of the game without the team’s All-Star in the backcourt.
“It sucks to see him go down,” Braun said. “But just for the team, it felt like we got all the guys back, and pregame I thought our vibe was really good. We were excited to see AG get back and the starting lineup play together again. And it seems like we played, what, 12 minutes? Or whatever it was together. So it sucks for ‘Mal. It sucks to watch.”
“Jamal got hurt again,” franchise star Nikola Jokic added. “I don’t know, it’s been the whole season, so hopefully, we can find a way to get healthy and to start playing much better.”
While Denver did get Gordon back after his long absence, as well as Cam Johnson after missing a few games with an ankle injury of his own, Adelman was also frustrated that the Nuggets have failed so far this year to put together a healthy string of games.
“This has just been insane. Every time we get somebody back, I feel like that game, somebody else goes out,” the coach, in his first full season leading the team, said. “It has nothing to do with the game; it’s just the way it’s been.”
A final Murray injury update won’t become available until he undergoes further testing on his ankle, but for now, he can likely be ruled out for Denver’s Monday game against Oklahoma City.
Denver Nuggets Injury Updates And Report
As mentioned, the Nuggets got both Gordon and Johnson back on Friday after the two were previously out.
Gordon, in his first game since late January, scored just three points in 21 minutes. Johnson had ten points, three rebounds, and five assists in 22 minutes after missing the team’s previous two games.
The contest against the Knicks was yet another in which the Nuggets were without season-standout Peyton Watson, who, before going down with a hamstring strain back in early February, has now missed 12 games in a row. According to Brett Siegel, Watson is scheduled to be re-evaluated sometime this week, but still has no return timeline. He and Murray are the two players who currently make up Denver’s injury report as of Saturday.
While the Nuggets face some injuries and slow recoveries to many of their top contributors, Jokic had another standout performance against New York. The MVP candidate finished with 38 points, eight rebounds, and five assists in the loss. But while Jokic had already missed a month with a hyperextended knee, he is also at risk of missing out on the NBA’s end-of-season awards, as he can only skip a few more games until he doesn’t hit the 65-game mark.
Per Logan Struck of Sports Illustrated, the Nuggets have only played 159 total minutes with a full, healthy starting lineup, and with the latest Murray injury, that number could stay that way for a little while.
Jamal Murray Injury Update: Nuggets Get Good News After Scary Ankle Exit