The Denver Nuggets may still be short-handed as they prepare to battle the Miami Heat. It’s questionable if point guard Jamal Murray will be able to play in the ballpark when he returns home. Murray was ruled out of Wednesday’s game against the Sacramento Kings. A game in which the Nuggets lost the nail-biter by one point. Denver has a 20-point lead at one point. However, the Kings’ backcourt, led by De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, finally blew it in the fourth quarter.
With Aaron Gordon out as well, Denver lost two of their best tight ends. Murray was retained for precautionary reasons, considering the team was on a back-to-back. Remember, the team announced before the season that they wouldn’t play back with him coming back from a torn ACL. Jamaal Murray remains questionable along with Aaron Gordon (shoulder) and Bruce Brown (ankle) to battle the Heat when Denver returns home.
Jamal Murray is questionable on the Miami Heat
The season of Jamal Murray
While Murray may be knocking off some rust after missing the entire season, he’s picked up the game as of late. He’s looking like the Jamal Murray of old. The two-man game is starting to be deadly again with him and Nikola Jokic. Over the past five games, the Kentucky product is averaging 21.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game while shooting 37.1 percent from beyond the arc. In addition, he has scored 25 or more points in each of his last three games.
We didn’t even pick up his game in the clutch. Murray has one game winner on the season. A three-point shot hit a game-winner in Portland’s one-point dramatic win over the Trail Blazers. In a 128-125 overtime win over the Phoenix Suns on Christmas Day, Murray had a key layup in the fourth quarter. Jamal Murray has had his fair share of rusty starts to start the season, but is starting to establish himself as Denver’s second best player.
Denver will go to their match against the Miami Heat
At BetOnline, the Nuggets are favorites to beat the Heat at -110 odds. Despite being short-handed, it’s worth considering that Denver is one of the better home teams in the league. They have an 8-3 home record and are 8-2 overall in their last 10 games. Not to mention, Denver is second in the West behind the New Orleans Pelicans.
As for the Miami Heat, they haven’t started the year as well as they would like, as they are seventh in the Eastern Conference with an 18-17 win record. They are 5-9 on the road this season. Miami will have a tough challenge trying to capture the reigning MVP in Nikola Jokic. A center coming off another 40-point performance. Whether Jamal Murray plays or not, the Miami Heat are going to have an uphill battle. Especially trying to slow down this high-powered nugget of destruction.
