Denver’s frustration grows as Gordon returns and Murray goes down

Denver’s turbulent season took another unwelcome turn as Aaron Gordon made his long‑awaited return just in time for Jamal Murray to exit with a worrying ankle injury. Gordon, back after his latest setback, looked understandably rusty, finishing with only three points on 1‑for‑7 shooting as he tried to regain rhythm alongside Nikola Jokic.

But the real blow came late in the first half, when Murray, who had already posted 12 points, a rebound and three assists in 17 minutes, rolled his left ankle and limped off. The images were far from reassuring, and the prospect of losing their Canadian playmaker for weeks would be a major setback just as Denver hoped to stabilize its rotation. The Nuggets’ medical table remains a revolving door, a theme that has defined their uneven campaign. For coach David Adelman, the timing could hardly be worse, as every step forward seems to be followed by another painful stumble.