Suns' Ayton out, Nuggets G Murray questionable for Game 6
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Phoenix Suns centre Deandre Ayton will not play in Game 6 because of a rib contusion, per ESPN's Shams Charania, while Denver Nuggets Canadian guard Jamal Murray is listed as 'questionable' with a non-COVID illness.
Murray did not participate in morning shootaround, per sources. Multiple Nuggets players have felt sick with a bug going around the locker room, ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk reports.
Murray, 26, has averaged 24.6 points per game through the first five games of the series. Murray scored a game-high 34 points in the Nuggets' 125-107 victory in the series opener.
Meanwhile, Ayton, who averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game in 67 games in the regular season, has averaged just 10.8 PPG through the first five games of this series.
The Nuggets lead the second-round series 3-2, and can advance to the Western Conference Finals with a victory on the road in Phoenix on Thursday night.
In the last 20 seasons, the Nuggets have qualified for the playoffs 15 times - but they have advanced beyond the second round just twice, and have never advanced to the NBA Finals.
In 43 career playoff games, Murray, who is a native of Kitchener, averaged 24.7 points per game and 6.0 assists per game.