Nuggets Add Jamal Murray to Injury Report vs. Trail Blazers

The Denver Nuggets were streaky heading into the NBA All-Star break, losing four of six games, despite having three-time MVP Nikola Jokic back from an extended injury absence. Unfortunately, after a week-long rest, their struggles continued.

The Nuggets suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss to the L.A. Clippers on Thursday night. Denver has now lost five of their last seven games, and four of those losses have come by one possession or in double overtime. Unfortunately, the Nuggets are heading right into the second leg of a back-to-back after a crushing loss, facing the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night as part of a three-game road trip.

Nuggets add Jamal Murray to injury report

Feb 19, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) reacts against the LA Clippers in the first half at Intuit Dome. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While their recent struggles have certainly been self-inflicted, the Nuggets' injury concerns are certainly not helping. The Nuggets remain without Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson due to hamstring injuries, and now star point guard Jamal Murray could miss Friday's contest in Portland. The Nuggets' full injury report:

Jalen Pickett - PROBABLE (right knee soreness)

Jamal Murray - QUESTIONABLE (right hamstring tightness)

Aaron Gordon - OUT (right hamstring strain)

Peyton Watson - OUT (right hamstring strain)

Murray caught plenty of flak after Thursday's loss in Los Angeles, as the All-Star guard missed the game-tying free throw to force overtime with less than a second left in the fourth quarter. Now, he is in jeopardy of sitting out on Friday.

Jamal Murray MISSED the GAME-TYING FREE THROW 😱🤯

Did Mathurin get in his head? 😅 pic.twitter.com/sLK7rAhOst
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 20, 2026

Denver's depth continues to be tested, and Friday's matchup in Portland will likely be another opportunity for their role players to step up. In Thursday's loss, Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, and Julian Strawther each contributed 18+ points. With Gordon, Watson, and Murray all potentially out for Friday's game, they will need more big performances like these to get back in the column.

Trail Blazers' injury report vs. Nuggets

The Trail Blazers have been dealing with a handful of notable injuries, and they have a couple of their own significant absences for Friday's game. Of course, star guard Damian Lillard is out for the season, despite taking down Denver's Jamal Murray and the rest of the field in the Three-Point Contest at All-Star weekend. The Trail Blazers' full injury report:

Kris Murray - QUESTIONABLE (lumbar strain)

Matisse Thybulle - QUESTIONABLE (right knee tendinopathy)

Damian Lillard - OUT (left Achilles tendon injury management)

Shaedon Sharpe - OUT (left calf strain)

Damian Lillard game 5 vs the Nuggets (6/1/2021):

▫️55 PTS
▫️10 Assists
▫️6 Rebounds
▫️3 Blocks
▫️1 Steal
▫️12 3PM
▫️70%/70%/90% Splits
▫️96.8 TS%

Best playoff game of all time 🔥🙌
pic.twitter.com/xoB9xmvwRd
— ᴛʏʟᴇʀ (@blazersforreal) February 18, 2026

The Nuggets are certainly fortunate that they do not have to face Lillard on Friday night, but the Trail Blazers still pose a threat. Portland won four of its five games leading up to the All-Star break, and is now coming off some extra rest for Friday's matchup against the Nuggets.

The Nuggets and Blazers have faced off just once this season already, which resulted in a two-point Portland win on their home floor in the NBA Cup. After Friday's game, they still have two more matchups this season, both in Denver. The Nuggets will have a much better shot at pulling out a win in Portland if Murray suits up, so it will certainly be worth monitoring his status leading up to game time.

The Nuggets and Trail Blazers are set to tip off at 8:00 p.m. MT in Portland on Thursday, as Denver looks to bounce back from a crushing loss in Los Angeles.