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Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray has encountered knee trouble during the preseason, raising concerns about his health ahead of the 2024-2025 NBA season. In a recent preseason matchup against the Phoenix Suns, Murray was limited to 19 minutes of action, scoring just 2 points on 1-6 shooting.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone explained the situation after the game, stating that Murray’s knee started feeling “funny” before the game began. While the team initially thought the discomfort would subside, they opted to keep him out for the second half as a precaution.

“Going into the game, he’s been (feeling) great,” Malone said, per Vinny Benedetto. “That was the weird thing about last night. He told me this morning that he had been feeling great, and all of a sudden, last night during his pregame warmups, it was just starting to feel a little funny, if you will. A lot of times, he’s able to get going and play through it and it will loosen up. Last night, that wasn’t the case. Up until that point, he’s been healthy, ready to go. I asked him this morning, `Where do you think your conditioning is?’ and he feels like it’s in a good place.

Murray’s recent performances have been below his usual standards. So far in the preseason, he has averaged 5.3 points in 17.6 minutes per game, well below his regular-season output. His struggles were also apparent during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where he represented Canada. Despite his status as one of the NBA’s top guards, Murray averaged just 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 20.5 minutes per game at the tournament.

Despite these recent issues, the Nuggets do not appear overly concerned about his long-term health. This offseason, Denver signed Murray to a lucrative four-year, $207.8 million contract extension, signaling their confidence in his ability to remain a key contributor for the team.

Murray’s injury history is well-documented. In April 2022, he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during a game against the Golden State Warriors, which sidelined him for the entire 2021-22 season.

Last season, Murray averaged 21.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in 31.5 minutes per game. His strong performance was a critical factor in the Nuggets’ 2024 campaign.

Given Murray’s history with knee injuries, the Nuggets are likely to take a cautious approach to his recovery. The team will hope to have him at full strength for the regular season, which kicks off in late October.