Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Jamal Murray dealing with 'mental hurdle' in comeback

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 4/10/22

The latest information about a possible return for Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray does not sound promising.

Prior to Sunday’s regular season finale, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said he had an extended conversation with Murray about playing a few low-stakes minutes. Malone said Murray is still dealing with a “mental hurdle” before getting into game action again.

Michael Malone said his extended conversation with Jamal involved checking in. Malone said he told Jamal, if you want to play a few minutes in a low-stakes game (vs. LA), cool. If not, that’s cool, too. Said there’s a “mental hurdle” Murray needs to overcome.

— Mike Singer (@msinger) April 10, 2022

Murray is about a year removed from a torn ACL, so the mental block is understandable. The star guard still appears to be moving physically closer to a return, but it is not clear how much of a chance Murray has of returning and playing meaningful minutes in the playoffs.

One of Murray’s teammates recently dropped an intriguing hint about the guard’s potential return. Clearly, there is optimism about his physical status, but he has yet to be tested in a game environment. That is a significant hurdle to clear.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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