The Denver Nuggets` playoff aspirations might face a significant hurdle as star guard Jamal Murray`s hamstring injury appears to be more concerning than initially assessed.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone hinted before Sunday`s game against the Indiana Pacers that Murray might only be ready for the first playoff game, a shift from the initial day-to-day prognosis.
Murray`s absence is a major setback for Denver. As the second leading scorer next to Nikola Jokić, he averages 22 points and 6 assists per game, shooting 40% from three-point range. His performance has been on an upward trend recently. The Nuggets have struggled in his absence, going 2-5 in the last seven games he`s missed.
Jamal Murray
Malone clarified that Murray isn`t being rested as a precaution; he is genuinely unable to play due to the injury.
Malone stressed the severity of the situation, stating Murray is truly injured and unavailable, which is particularly critical given the competitive Western Conference standings. He emphasized, “Jamal is hurt. It`s not `careful.` He`s hurt… If Jamal Murray is not out there, it`s not `careful.` It`s because he literally just is not able to play at the moment.”
The Western Conference is incredibly tight, with only a few games separating the 3rd to 8th seeds. The Nuggets risk falling in playoff seeding if they don`t perform well in their remaining games without Murray.
While Russell Westbrook is the backup point guard, Murray’s absence significantly reduces the Nuggets` playoff prospects. His dynamic partnership with Jokić is essential to their offense, highlighted by their strong performance in past playoffs.
Jasper Hawthorne