Coach Michael Malone said Jamal Murray is devastated after the Denver Nuggets guard was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
For the first time since the Nuggets announced they will be without their Star Point Guard indefinitely, Malone said the team could see Murray’s heartbreak during the seasonal injury.
“It’s been full of emotion for 24, 36 hours,” said the Nuggets head coach before Denver took to the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. Jamal is understandably broken. I think the team is a little bit broken too. We understand the importance of Murray. We’re a better team when he’s healthy … He’s almost second in all categories. [estadísticas] important in the team behind Nikola [Jokic]
Murray sustained the injury with 50.6 seconds remaining in the Nuggets’ 116-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Monday night. The point guard averaged 21.2 points, 4.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 47.7% of the field this season.
With title aspirations bolstered by Aaron Gordon’s trade, the Nuggets were shocked Monday night after Murray went down.
“It was very difficult, we stayed in San Francisco for that game,” said Malone. “Just sitting with him on the way to the airport breaks your heart because you can see the raw emotion he felt.”
The Nuggets coach told his team to regroup and understand they still have a chance to compete in the West.
“Some roles will clearly change,” said Malone. “I don’t want anyone to think it must be Jamal Murray. That is not the case.’
The Nuggets will have to go on without their Star Point Guard this season and for part of the next season. Malone said that generally, rehabilitation for a torn ACL can take nine to 10 months.
“We love him, we are behind him and we will help him down this road next year,” said Malone. “I have no doubt he will come back as a better player, a stronger player. That’s how he did it. It’s in his DNA. I don’t expect anything less.”