Jamal Murray doesn't care that the Lakers are the Nuggets' opening night opponent

Opening night is drawing closer. There’s around 48 hours until the Nuggets’ 2023 NBA Championship banner is raised at Ball Arena.

Jamal Murray is excited for the moment. But most of all he’s looking forward to a new season starting and putting the pomp and circumstance around the Nuggets’ championship celebration behind him.

“It’s over for me,” an emphatic Murray said when asked how he’ll move past the celebration on Tuesday’s ring night and onto the task at hand this season. “It’s a new year. We’ve got to do it again. That year was great. It was a great summer, but ring night is Game 1, so we have to move on.”

“Game 1 is Tuesday. Ring night is great. Banner night, it’s amazing. But we’ve got to win a game at the end of the day.”

You get the sense that Murray’s speaking for the entire Nuggets’ locker room with those statements. The Nuggets want to soak in the moment. They can’t wait to raise a banner to Ball Arena’s rafters and receive their championship rings.

They’re more excited, however, to get next season underway and begin building toward their goal of back-to-back championships.

“I said it the night we won. I’m not satisfied with winning a championship,” Michael Malone said on Sunday. “My goal is to make this team a dynasty, and we’re going to try to do everything we can to make that a reality.”

The Nuggets begin their pursuit of that dynasty on Tuesday. And the team that they swept in the Conference Finals is their lucky opponent.

Murray was asked at practice if he cares that the Lakers are the Nuggets’ opening night matchup.

He laughed as soon as he heard the question, chuckling perhaps at the discourse that’s spewed out of Los Angeles this summer and the current narrative around the Nuggets-Lakers matchup.

“No,” Murray said. “That’s all for you guys. I just go play basketball and have fun.”

Looking ahead to Tuesday night

MPJ and Christian Braun’s status

Michael Porter Jr. will play on opening night. Malone said on Sunday that Porter will be available despite missing the entire preseason with an ankle sprain that he suffered during training camp. Christian Braun (calf contusion), who has also missed the entire preseason, will also be in the lineup.

Braun could have played in Denver’s preseason finale, but the Nugget still decided to hold him out. The expectation is that Porter will start at small forward and Braun will be the first player off Denver’s bench.

About that bench

There’s still a ton of uncertainty around the Nuggets’ second unit, partly because of Porter and Braun’s injuries. Denver never got to see its projected bench lineup play together in the preseason.

It doesn’t sound like Malone is too confident with that group heading into opening night.

“Some guys stepped up,” Malone said about his bench’s preseason performance. “Julian has a very good preseason offensively. Some other guys did some nice things. But we’re going to have to figure out that bench unit as we go, as we get back to being healthy.”

Malone did pretty much confirm that he’ll stagger Murray with the second unit again this season like he did last year. He wants to have either Jokic or Murray on the floor at all times.

Best guess at the Nuggets’ bench to start the season.

Locks to play: Christian Braun, Reggie Jackson, Zeke Nnaji

Likely playing: Justin Holiday, Julian Strawther

Out of the initial rotation but could play based on the matchup: Peyton Watson, Braxton Key

— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) October 21, 2023

Murray on the Nuggets’ readiness

The Nuggets won’t be a finished product on opening night, at least from what Murray’s seeing in practice.

“I think it’s going to be a different year,” said Murray. “We’re going to mess up a lot. We’re going to look lazy a lot just from what I’m seeing, from what I know that we can do.”

Murray then clarified.

“Not lazy. A little sloppy with the turnovers,” he said. “Not as sharp. I wouldn’t say lazy. Not as sharp as we’re used to being or the consistency that we’re used to. Just trying to get back to that. Just trying to be honest with how we can improve.”

Ring night notes

• The ring ceremony and banner raising begins at 4:45 p.m.
• Michael Malone and one player are scheduled to address the crowd, I’m told.
• Nuggets-Lakers tips off at 5:30 p.m.