Nuggets Injury Report: Jamal Murray, KCP, Reggie Jackson’s Availability Ahead of Crucial Game 5 in Denver
The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets held a 2-2 record during the ongoing Semifinals. While the Timberwolves established early momentum, the Nuggets recovered soon, catching up to their rival’s two wins. With Game 5 nearing in the next few hours, the defending champions might want to utilize Jamal Murray, Reggie Jackson, and other offensive players to their full potential. Thanks to a recent update, the chances of their availability seem better than before.
A few hours ago, NBA reporter Harrison Wind took to his official X account to highlight details from the Nuggets’ recent Injury Report. According to his post, Jamal Murray continues his streak of holding on to the ‘Questionable’ category. On a more positive note, however, point guard Reggie Jackson and shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were noticeably absent from the list. After being listed as ‘Questionable’ for quite a long time, the duo has fully recovered from their ailments.
Jamal Murray proved his worth against the Lakers during the first round of the playoffs series. However, he developed a left calf strain. While the point guard remained available during all four games against the Timberwolves, his performance was significantly reduced. Averaging 23.6 points against the Lakers, he managed to put up only 17 and 8 points during the first two games of Round 2 against Minnesota. However, his points totals have improved since then. Listed as ‘Questionable’, Murray’s availability now depends on his performance in the pre-game evaluation.
Moreover, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was listed on the Injury Report during the first round after he developed a sprain in his left ankle. But soon after his recovery, a right abdominal contusion brought him down. Fortunately, he was available for all matchups against the Timberwolves. A similar situation was faced by Reggie Jackson, who had just recovered from a left-sprained ankle, only to leave yet again due to a left calf contusion. At the moment, both players are free from their ailments, hoping that they won’t find their names on the report again.
On the other hand, Jaylen Clark is the only player listed on the Injury Report for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has been unavailable since the beginning of the tournament; thus, his absence will not hurt the franchise.
Player stats for Jamal Murray and his team vs Timberwolves in Playoffs
Both the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves established a remarkable winning record during the regular season. Therefore, a clash between these two titans was enough to bring out some of the best performances from each team’s leading scorers. As it turned out, they did not disappoint.
Nuggets lead scorer Nikola Jokic was recently named the tournament’s MVP for the third time in four years. He delivered an average score of 26.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists during the last four games. Jokic’s shooting stats are even higher than in the first round of the playoffs; his field goals stand at 10.3-20.5. Moreover, he secured three-pointers at 1-4.5, and free throws at 5.3-6. Hence, Jokic has been leading the scoring effort for his team, becoming the most instrumental in their success.
From the Timberwolves’ side, Anthony Edwards has contributed the most during the ongoing playoffs. Dubbed ‘the next Michael Jordan,’ the player has secured an average score of 33.3 points, with 8 rebounds and 8 assists during his four recent games. This stat comes from the player’s average of 13.0-21.5 field goals, with 3-6.8 three-pointers and 4.3-5.3 free throws under his belt. During Game 1 of the Timberwolves-Nuggets clash, ‘Ant-Man’ dropped his playoff-career-high score of 43 points. This paved his way as the second NBA player, right behind Kobe Bryant, to have consecutive 40-point games either at age 22 or younger during the postseason. Later, Edwards even overtook his record by scoring 44 points.
Jamal Murray has been a big help to Nikola Jokic, thanks to his average contribution of 17 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists during the Semifinals. Additionally, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is also standing up against the Timberwolves with his 6.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
And if that is not enough, Reggie Jackson has been contributing at the same level, attaining 5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Denver Nuggets or the Minnesota Timberwolves; who are you rooting for? Let us know in the comments down below.
