Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets are having a wonderful season so far, and the odds of them successfully defending their title are quite high. Murray along with the Nikola Jokic have been putting on a great show. Jokic currently has one of the shortest odds of winning his third MVP as well. The Nuggets rank second in the Western Conference with a record of 17 wins and 9 losses.
PSA: DO NOT JUMP WITH CHRISTIAN BRAUN pic.twitter.com/QRnvZMxTG0
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 15, 2023
Their opponent for the night will be the Oklahoma City Thunder. After an upsetting end to their 2022-23 season, the Thunder have surprisingly become one of the top teams in the West. They are currently ranked behind the Nuggets with a record of 15 wins and 8 losses. Denver will host OKC at the Ball Arena.
Jamal Murray is listed as probable for the Nuggets vs. Thunder game
Jamal Murray has been in and out of the Nuggets lineup lately, but he’s still trying to push through injuries. The Nuggets have listed the point guard as probable for their upcoming matchup against the Thunder due to bilateral ankle sprains. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Concussion) will be sidelined while Aaron Gordon (heel) is probable against the Thunder.
Vlatko Cancer will remain out for the foreseeable future. He underwent surgery to fix an injury in his right knee back in August. The Thunder do not have any injuries recorded at the moment. Having a fully healthy roster only means the Thunder are expected to walk out with blazing guns.
One of the Association’s most efficient bucket getters ⛈️
Peep Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s BEST PLAYS from the 2023-24 season so far 🔥 pic.twitter.com/C9fqEuZydd
— NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2023
Denver Nuggets Injury Reports:
- Aaron Gordon (Probable)
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Out)
- Jamal Murray (Probable)
- Vlatko Cancer (Out)
Denver Nuggets Expected Lineup:
- Reggie Jackson
- Christian Braun
- Michael Porter Jr.
- Peyton Watson
- Nikola Jokic
Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Report:
NIL
Oklahoma City Thunder Expected Lineup:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Josh Giddey
- Luguentz Dort
- Jalen Williams
- Chet Holmgren
Will the Nuggets overcome the Thunder without Jamal Murray?
Having Jamal Murray out of the lineup is only one problem. He has been averaging 18.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. The other problem is if Aaron Gordon misses the game. His absence will bring about a defensive void. KCP’s absence will also affect the Nuggets on both sides of the court, unfortunately.
It’s gameday, Nuggets Nation! pic.twitter.com/YEzLsBHQ2J
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 16, 2023
The Thunder are currently working with a roster that can fire from all sides of the court. SGA currently leads the squad averaging 31 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.4 assists along with 2.7 steals per game. Additionally, Chet Holmgren has been playing exceptionally well too. If the Nuggets lose Murray and Gordon, chances are the Thunder will have an extremely close game.