Winners last night over the Bulls, the Nuggets confirmed their very good start to the season (6 wins – 1 loss), and they are still undefeated at home with four wins in four matches. The departure of Bruce Brown seems already digested, and everything would be perfect if the defending champions had not lost Jamal Murray at the start of the second quarter.
The Nuggets leader felt an alert behind his thigh, and he went directly to the locker room without going through the bench. Mike Malone warns that this is the kind of injury that can drag on for a long time… Especially since Jamal Murray has been suffering from this thigh since training camp. “We are always concerned with this type of injury” confirms Denver coach. “Because they can settle in for quite a while.” We have to be smart to manage it.”
It is to be expected that Jamal Murray will be spared in the days to come, and perhaps he will undergo examinations to know the seriousness of this alert. “For the moment, I have not spoken about it with the staff” adds Mike Malone.
Reggie Jackson gets back on track
In the meantime, this premature exit allowed Mike Malone to play more Reggie Jackson, but also Collin Gillespie. The first, who arrived at the end of last season, could take advantage of it to regain his best level, and above all work on his automatisms with the starters.
“I try to adapt to the environment,” says Reggie Jackson. “I’ve been trying to figure out how not to screw it up and be aggressive in the areas where I can be. This group really knows how to play with each other, so you have to be in the right space and that makes it easier.”
As for Collin Gillespie, he will not forget this match against the Bulls. After a blank season, due to a broken leg, the former Villanova leader took advantage of the evening to play 12 minutes, and above all score his first points in the NBA.
“Assistants came to tell me to be ready” says Collin Gillespie. “We didn’t know what was going on with Jamal. And when we came back to the locker room, he had already taken his shower.”
The Nuggets always so patient with the seriously injured
Best friend of Christian Braun, the 3rd leader of the Nuggets received a nice ovation from the public, but also from the bench after his first basket. Enough to delight Mike Malone, who thanked his managers for having kept him despite a white season.
“We are not cruel. Collin suffered a terrible injury after a very impressive Summer League (2022), and the easiest thing to do was to get him out of the way and find someone who can help us.” recalls Mike Malone. “But I recognize that GM Calvin (Booth), owner Josh (Kroenke) and the entire franchise got credit because we believed in Collin. On draft night, I was hoping he wouldn’t get picked early because we really wanted him. »
And Mike Malone recalled that the Nuggets have always been patient with the injured. “Seeing him go through this injury, missing all of last year – like Jamal, like Michael (Porter)… There are dark days when you go through that, and to see him come through it and be able to to go play in an important match and play well, you just want to hug him.”
