Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is now the team’s second star player to enter the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, reports Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports (Twitter link). The 6’3″ point guard has been playing solidly since his return from an ACL tear that kept him unavailable throughout the 2021/22 season. Through 13 games, he is averaging 16.5 PPG on .429/.355/.767 shooting splits. He is also logging 4.5 APG, 3.9 RPG and 1.0 SPG.
It had been reported earlier this week that two-time MVP center Nikola Jokic had also entered the league’s coronavirus protocols. Wind adds that Jokic remains sidelined, and both players will miss tomorrow’s contest against the Mavericks.
The league’s updated coronavirus policy this season dictates that vaccinates players only need to test for COVID-19 if they exhibit symptoms of the virus. Unvaccinated players are now tested just once a week.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Third-year Nuggets power forward Zeke Nnaji would love more rotation minutes for Denver, and expects to have solid output whenever he does get a chance, writes Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post. Given the COVID-19 absence of Jokic, the 6’9″ big man has been able to get a bit more run, short-term. “A lot of the coaches said I had a great camp and made some huge jumps, so I’m just looking to apply that out on the court in an actual game,” Nnaji said. “I have to stay ready. I want to make it hard for them to put me back on the bench… I’m also a relentless rebounder and somebody who plays physical inside as well. I can promise that I will bring energy to the court.” Nnaji is averaging a career-low 6.3 MPG on a deep Denver club this year.
- Third-year Thunder forward Aleksej Pokusevski seems to be potentially turning a corner in his development this year, writes Ethan Fuller of Basketball News. The 20-year-old is averaging a career-best 9.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.8 BPG. Fuller adds that Pokusevski has also improved as a more efficient scorer, and that the seven-footer seems to noticeably more assertive.
- Jazz power forward Rudy Gay continues to rehabilitate from a third finger MCP joint sprain in his left hand, Utah announced in a press release. The Jazz add that the 6’8″ vet will have his injured finger re-appraised in two weeks. In 12 games this season, Gay is averaging 4.5 PPG and 3.4 RPG across 15.8 MPG.