CLEVELAND (AP) — Things are quickly getting worse for the injury-plagued Denver Nuggets, who don’t have a truly healthy center on their roster after losing three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and backup Jonas Valanciunas earlier this week.
Three other core players, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson and Christian Braun, have been sidelined with injuries, leaving point guard Jamal Murray as the final starter against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
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“No complaints here, but sometimes it’s a mystery to a head coach what’s going to happen,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “I can’t tell you where we’ll go. I can only try a few things over the next few weeks.”
Jokic went down with a hyperextended left knee Monday against Minnesota in Miami, just four days after he posted a historic 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists on Christmas Day against the Timberwolves. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks.
The 7-foot Serbian averaged 29.6 points per game and led the league with 12.2 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game. Jokic had 16 triple-doubles in 32 games.
Valanciunas strained his right calf on Wednesday in Toronto and won’t have an update on his status until late January, forcing Denver to start 6-foot-9 rookie forward DaRon Holmes II at center in Cleveland.
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“Right now, we are who we are,” Adelman said. “I’m really excited to see DaRon in action for the first time.”
Power forward Gordon (right hamstring strain), small forward Johnson (right knee soreness) and shooting guard Braun (left ankle sprain) have no projected return dates, leaving Denver without a player averaging 80 points.
It is worth noting that the Nuggets maintain the third-place record in the Western Conference with a record of 23 wins and 10 losses.
“Nobody knows what’s going to happen with Aaron and Christian,” Adelman said. “Obviously Cam, Jonas and Nikolai will be out for a while.”
No matter who is on the court, Murray’s performance is very stable, averaging a career-high 25.1 points and 6.9 assists per game. The 10-year pro is seeking his first All-Star selection and is averaging a team-high 35.2 minutes per game.
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However, Murray is playing with a sprained left ankle and is dealing with more and more bumps and bruises. Keeping him in the starting lineup is an ongoing issue for Adelman, who is in his first full season as Denver’s coach.
“That’s my biggest concern because Jamal is a problem,” Adelman said. “It’s a daily conversation with the coaches and the medical staff, but he feels a responsibility to his teammates.
“There’s open communication every day. We’re going to do the best we can to take care of him.”
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