Nuggets HC: Jamal Murray Feels 'Great' amid Elbow Injury Ahead of Game 7 vs. Wolves

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone provided a positive update on the health of star guard Jamal Murray on Saturday ahead of Sunday's Game 7 clash with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

According to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk, Malone said Murray "feels great" after suffering an elbow injury during Denver's 115-70 blowout loss in Game 6.

Murray hurt his elbow when he ran into a screen set by Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert early in the game. He wasn't himself the rest of the way, going just 4-of-18 from the field for 10 points.

Per Youngmisuk, Murray stayed after practice and knocked down several three-point shots in a row. Malone noted that Murray looked "hungry," adding: "So hopefully that carries over tomorrow. I hope he doesn't eat until tomorrow until 6 p.m."

While three-time NBA MVP and one-time NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokić is the Nuggets' top player, Murray is nearly as important.

During Denver's run to a championship last season, the 27-year-old guard out of Kentucky averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 20 playoff games.

He appeared in 59 regular-season games in 2023-24, averaging a career-high 21.2 points and 6.5 assists to go along with 2.5 three-pointers made and 1.0 steal, and in 11 playoff games this season, Murray is averaging 19.3 points, 5.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds.

Minnesota's tough defense has befuddled Murray and the Nuggets as a whole at times, which is largely why the Timberwolves have a chance to knock off the defending NBA champs.

Just one year ago, the Nuggets knocked the T'Wolves out in the first round of the playoffs in just five games, but Minnesota is a different team now.

The continued development of superstar guard Anthony Edwards is a big reason why, as is the synergy between starting bigs Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.

If the 2023 playoff version of Murray comes to play on Sunday, though, even a vastly improved Timberwolves team may not be able to take out the reigning champions.