Sources: Nuggets’ Murray likely out rest of month

Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray will likely be sidelined for the remainder of the month because of his right hamstring strain, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.

The Nuggets are taking a cautious approach to assure there will be no lingering issues with the hamstring, and there’s an expectation that Murray will need three to four weeks to properly heal before returning to play, sources said.

Murray was hurt in a victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. The point guard missed time near the end of training camp in October with a similar injury, but Nuggets coach Michael Malone indicated that Murray’s recent hamstring strain came on a specific play during the Bulls game.

The Nuggets are 2-0 in Murray’s absence, after defeating the Golden State Warriors 108-105 on Wednesday night to improve to 8-1 on the season.

“This will be something that will be longer than we would like,” Malone said this week. “You have to have the big picture in mind and make sure we’re putting him in position to get healthy before he comes back.”

Murray, 26, is a cornerstone of the Nuggets’ championship team with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Murray enjoyed a spectacular postseason during Denver’s run to the NBA title a season ago, averaging 26.1 points, 7.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 20 playoff games.

The Nuggets have started veteran guard Reggie Jackson in Murray’s place and are getting contributions from young guards Collin Gillespie and Julian Strawther.

Source: www.espn.com