If Jamal Murray returns to the lineup next Thursday in Cleveland, it’ll have been nearly three weeks since his last game.

After missing Wednesday night’s 118-109 win against the Mavericks, Murray has now missed the final six games heading into the NBA All-Star break.

It’s been nearly two years since Murray suffered his ACL injury in April 2021, yet the soreness has lingered. It was understandable for Murray to sit out a few nights early in the season to give that knee some rest, but this extended absence feels different.

“You’re always concerned when a guy misses five or six games in a row,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said pregame on Wednesday. “Talking with Jamal, talking with Steve Short and our training staff, it’s just (about) being really smart this time of year. There’s no reason to put him out there if he doesn’t have confidence playing on that right knee right now.”

This lingering soreness couldn’t have come at a worse time for Murray.

Murray has had a different look about him since the calendar flipped to 2023. January was by far his best month of the season as he averaged more than 22 points per game and shot more than 45% from 3-point range on 6.5 attempts per game.

He followed that up with two stellar performances to begin February, including 41 points in a win over the Hawks on Feb. 4, which just so happens to be his last time on the floor.

Still, Malone doesn’t seem too worried at this point.

“I think the break will do him well, mentally (and) physically,” Malone said. “Talking to him today, I think he’s in a good place. That gave me some reassurance.”

The Nuggets will also have some added insurance even if Murray isn’t ready to go out of the all-star break in the form of newly-signed Reggie Jackson.

Jackson, the Colorado Springs native, started 38 games for the Clippers this season before he was traded to the Hornets and subsequently bought out and will likely get the chance to start a few games for the Nuggets in the final 23 games of the year as the team will almost certainly give Murray a few nights off to ensure he’s as fresh as possible for the playoffs.

“Hopefully I can help alleviate (Murray) a little bit, whatever those responsibilities are,” Jackson said. “The league knows who he is and he’s a scary player. He’s probably been snubbed of some all-star (selections). The league is pretty scared of him already with him probably being 90% of who he is.”

Jokić, coaching staff headed to Salt Lake City

Despite the fact that Denver is the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and with the second most wins in the NBA, only Nikola Jokić and the coaching staff, led by Michael Malone, will be representing the team during all-star weekend in Salt Lake City.

The rest of the team will now have the next week off and it should be a time to relax and regroup ahead of what’s expected to be a deep playoff run in the coming months.

Malone had a little bit of concern heading into Wednesday’s final game before the break as players can often have their minds on whatever tropical location they’re planning on spending the next four to five days, but that didn’t turn out to be an issue in the 118-109 win over the Mavericks.

“I just reminded them upstairs that the all-star break starts at 11 o’clock tonight, not before,” Malone said pregame. “I coached in college and as a college coach, the game we hated the most was that game on December 23 because guys had their cars running in the parking lot, packed and ready to go home. Times have changed, guys have their private jets running waiting to go somewhere.”

Denver will be back in action next Thursday, Feb. 23, on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s the start of a quick two-game road trip before the Nuggets return home on Sunday, Feb. 26 against the Clippers.