(Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
The Denver Nuggets have the best record in the NBA right now at 7-1, and it has been starting to look like they’re primed to perhaps repeat as world champions.
Coming into Wednesday, they were eighth in defensive rating and fifth in offensive rating, and it looked like they still had lots of room for improvement in the months to come.
However, they have encountered their first piece of adversity this season, as star guard Jamal Murray will miss some significant time because of a right hamstring strain, per Adrian Wojnarowski.
ESPN Sources: Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray will be likely sidelined for the remainder of the month because of his right hamstring strain. pic.twitter.com/yfdxUZ5bkK
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 8, 2023
While Nikola Jokic is the hub and the foundation of the Nuggets, it could be argued that Murray is the engine that makes them go.
He has career averages of 16.9 points and 4.3 assists a game during the regular season, but during the playoffs, he tends to undergo an Incredible Hulk-like transformation and becomes a different player.
In 53 playoff contests, he has put up 25.0 points and 6.3 assists a game, including 26.1 points and 7.1 assists per contest during last season’s march to the NBA title.
The one big concern surrounding Denver this season is their lack of depth compared to last season — Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, two important and productive bench players for them last season, left in free agency during the summer.
With Murray out, veteran reserve point guard Reggie Jackson is going to have to step up for head coach Michael Malone’s crew.
Through eight games, Jackson is averaging 8.3 points and 3.5 assists in 21.9 minutes, but he is shooting just 41.9 percent from the field.
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