Murray details Denver's season-worst home loss.
The Denver Nuggets suffered a tough defeat at Ball Arena on Sunday night, falling 110-87 to the Charlotte Hornets in what became one of their worst losses of the season.
After the game, star guard Jamal Murray didn't mince words when explaining what went wrong for Denver, pointing to the team's glaring disadvantage without several key players.
"It's flushed. There's not much we could do about it," Murray said postgame. "Just felt like we were undersized. Undermanned. The whole game."
The numbers backed up Murray's frustration.
The Hornets dominated the glass with 52 total rebounds compared to just 29 for Denver, while Charlotte piled up 62 points in the paint against a Nuggets squad missing four of their five usual starters.
The loss drops Denver to 29-14 on the season, though they remain firmly in the Western Conference playoff picture sitting in third place.
Murray's All-Star Push Hits a Speed Bump
The loss came at an unfortunate time for Murray, who has been putting together the best season of his career and making a strong case for his first All-Star selection.
The 28-year-old point guard entered the contest averaging 25.9 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.4 rebounds while shooting a career-best 44.8 percent from three-point range, and he had scored 42 points just one game earlier in a win over the Washington Wizards.
Against Charlotte, however, Murray was held to just 16 points on an off shooting night.
The Hornets jumped out to a 33-18 lead after the first quarter and never looked back, with Brandon Miller leading the way with 23 points for the visitors.
Injuries Continue to Plague Denver
The Nuggets have been dealing with a lengthy injury list for weeks now, and Murray acknowledged how difficult it has been to compete without the team's full lineup.
Denver is still without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who has been sidelined since late December with a knee injury, along with Aaron Gordon, Jonas Valanciunas, Cameron Johnson, and Christian Braun.
"Missing AG obviously hurt tonight," Murray explained. "Jokic, you know, just dominates that team especially on the boards. Big Val would've done the same. So, we know what we're capable of, but it's tough to gang rebound every single night."
The Hornets (16-27) finished their West Coast road trip on a high note with the win and got contributions from six different players who scored in double figures.
For Denver, the focus now shifts to getting healthy as Murray continues his stellar individual season and the team prepares for a challenging stretch ahead.
Despite the rough outing, Murray's body of work this season still has him positioned as a strong All-Star candidate, especially given how he has carried the Nuggets during Jokic's absence.
The Nuggets will look to bounce back Tuesday night when they host the Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena.