The reigning champion Denver Nuggets are one of the NBA’s powerhouses, but that would not be the case without star Jamal Murray, who rises to the occasion in the playoffs.
The Nuggets had an opportunity to close out their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday but came up short, 119-108. Impressive efforts from LeBron James (30 points) and Anthony Davis (25 points and 23 rebounds) forced a Game 5, which will take place in Denver on Monday.
Denver could be without Murray, who is listed as questionable with a left calf strain. If Murray is out, what kind of impact would this have on the Nuggets and their chances of ending this series in five games?
How Would Murray's Absence Affect the Nuggets?
Murray is averaging 21.5 points, 7.3 assists, and 5 rebounds on inefficient shooting splits — 38% from the field and 20.8% from 3-point range.
The 27-year-old guard has scored at least 20 points in each game of the series, but has yet to do so on better than 40% shooting from the field.
Despite the shooting struggles, he was to thank for their Game 2 victory, nailing a fadeaway buzzer-beater over Davis. His absence should not raise too much concern, as Denver has one of the deepest rosters in the league.
Game 4 was far from the best for Denver’s rotation, with the players outside of their Big Three (Nikola Jokić, Murray, and Michael Porter Jr.) totaling just 26 points. Despite Jokić and Porter taking over for a combined 60 points and 25 rebounds on Saturday, key pieces such as Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope must step up and do their part.
The other good news for the Nuggets is the lack of consistency from Los Angeles' backcourt in the series thus far. D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves have played meaningful roles in certain games but also had outings with less than 10 points -- the most notable of which came in Game 3, when Russell finished with 0 points on 0 of 7 shooting in 24 minutes of action.
Finding their way to the Western Conference Semifinals shouldn’t be a tough ask, but Murray’s injury provides an opening for the Lakers to inch closer to a huge upset.
