Nuggets listing all 5 starters as out vs. Suns
Apr 6, 2023, 3:34 PM | Updated: 6:07 pm
Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic (15) work the Milwaukee Bucks during the third quarter at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday, March 25, 2023. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
(Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
The Denver Nuggets have listed Nikola Jokic (right calf tightness) and Jamal Murray (right thumb sprain) as out for Thursday’s matchup with the Phoenix Suns.
Aaron Gordon (right shoulder inflammation), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (illness), Michael Porter Jr. (heel) and Zeke Nnaji (knee sprain) are all also out for Thursday’s tilt.
Phoenix listed forward T.J. Warren as out with an illness.
The contest comes six days after Denver had four starters out, including Jokic and Murray, in a loss to the Suns. Jokic was for the same injury while Murray was out for knee injury management.
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Jokic played 24 minutes in Denver’s loss in Houston against the Rockets on Tuesday while Murray only got nine minutes and left the game due to that thumb sprain. He previously made his return on Sunday for a win versus the Golden State Warriors.
In addition, Nuggets backup center Zeke Nnaji is questionable because of a right knee sprain.
Denver needs either one more win or a Memphis Grizzlies loss to clinch the best record in the Western Conference and the No. 1 seed. Phoenix, meanwhile, has clinched the fourth seed with three games remaining.
The Suns play the next day on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers, opening up the possibility of Phoenix resting key players on the second game of a back-to-back.
Pregame coverage on Thursday begins at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN 620 AM, 98.7 HD-2, the Arizona Sports app and ArizonaSports.com.
