Redfin would lovingly describe the Nuggets’ practice court, tucked into a second-floor wing of Ball Arena, as “cute.” “Cute,” of course, is realtor code for “tiny.”
As coach Michael Malone left his amiable media scrum early Tuesday evening, he pointed to a set of three orange traffic cones stationed near one of the cuter padded walls to the right of the main entrance. Malone noted that the cones were not, in fact, used for dribbling or ball-handling drills, or drills of any kind — but as a keep-out barrier because of multiple leaks on that area of the floor.
While this served as yet another reminder of how sad the practice facilities are for the two best teams in town — the Nuggets, No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, work out in a church basement that leaks, while you’ve gotta wind your way through an arcade in Centennial and turn left at the laser tag to find the Avalanche, defending Stanley Cup champs — it also made us want to roll Jamal Murray into a giant Bubble Wrap burrito until about March 31.
“I wanted to come back against Dallas (last Wednesday),” Murray, who’s been resting an inflamed right knee, explained Tuesday after practice. “But (the team) said, ‘You know, it’s just one game. Why put you out there and risk it?’”
Exactly. He’s fine. Let’s keep that way, shall we?
Starting Thursday in Cleveland, the Nuggets play 14 games in 27 days, including a pair of back-to-backs. If I’m coach Michael Malone, I don’t care if Murray plays in more than nine or 10 of those tilts. I do not tempt basketball fate.
Because, one, multiple leaks.
Because, two, the Blue Arrow is THAT important to the rest of this story. We’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that the Nuggets are 5-10 (.333) since May 2021 in the NBA playoffs without Murray, and four of those victories came against Portland two springs ago. Also, that they’re 13-5 (.722) in the postseason when the Arrow scores 23 points or more. And 2-11 (.154) when he pours in less than 20.
This NBA championship narrative will hold up for as long as Murray’s knee does. Period.
Because three, these are the Nuggets. Anything unpredictable, sad or inexplicable that ruins the best team, the best story, in the West is always on the table, forever lurking around the corner.
Pulled hamstring after some slip on a wet floor. Torn ACL. Alien abduction. Spontaneous combustion. It’s as if an inebriated Maxie The Miner made a rude gesture to the basketball gods sometime in the late 1970s, and the basketball gods have enjoyed torturing this franchise in cruel, unusual and creative ways ever since.
“I’m good to go,” Murray stressed. “(I) feel good. Been working out and lifting, (building) up the strength. I’m just gonna keep that same everything we’ve been doing all year, just managing (the workload) and being ready for (a) 7-game series.”
Because those series — the ones coming in mid-April — are the point. The goal. The end game. Now. Always.
Until then, the Nuggets face four more back-to-backs. Three of those four involve a change of cities following the first tilt, including Saturday night’s visit to Memphis followed by a prime-time matchup at Ball Arena Sunday evening against old friend (?) Bones Hyland and the Clippers.
“So we’ll see kind of where he is,” Malone noted, “but hopefully he’ll feel good when he wakes up (Wednesday) and he’s a go in Cleveland, we’ll just take it day by day after that.”
Take your time. Take heed. No matter how much Twitter freaks out — and it will — whenever Murray vanishes from the lineup.
“That’s a good thing,” The Blue Arrow replied, flashing one of those naughty Arrow grins. “I like vanishing, (I) like to disappear every once in a while.”
Please do. Rest up. If Murray’s journey back has taught us two things, the first is to assume at your peril. The second is to embrace the sun while it’s shining on you.
Because if one day, that cute practice court happens to leak again, if the floor gets wet at the wrong place and the wrong time and the basketball gods are are feeling frisky, Heaven help Malone. Heaven help us all.
