The Denver Nuggets missed the memo that you're supposed to be playing your best basketball at the end of the season. They sat No. 2 in the West a week-and-a-half ago, and are now a half game away from falling into the Play-In Tournament.
Fans are experiencing some deja vu at the moment -- Jamal Murray has missed the past five games with a hamstring injury. He played hurt in the postseason last season, and look at how that ended.
Michael Malone said on Sunday that he hopes Murray will return before the playoffs, which isn't what fans wanted to hear. The coach clarified that the point guard is hurt and isn't sitting out as a precaution. Malone added that Murray's status was initially day-to-day, but not anymore.
Can you hear the alarm? It's going off in Denver. Malone said the Nuggets have "more than enough" with Murray out, but they've lost four of their five games without him. The lone win came against a Jazz team that recruited people who have never played in a game before to finish the season for them in their tank for Cooper Flagg. Denver has dropped games against Minnesota, San Antonio, Golden State, and Indiana since beating Utah.
Has Jamal Murray already played in his final game for the Nuggets this season?
There is a very real possibility that Denver will compete in the Play-In Tournament next week. The lowest the Nuggets could fall is seventh or eighth, meaning they'd have to win at least one (of a max of two) games to advance to the first round of the playoffs.
The last day of the regular season is April 13, and the Play-In Tournament will be held from April 15-18. It's concerning that there is no timeline for Murray to return, considering the Nuggets could be playing for their lives next week. Fans don't want to hear this, but there's a chance the guard could've already played in his final game this season.
Denver's best-case scenario is finishing the season in the top six, as the team would have several days off before the first round. If Murray doesn't return before the end of the regular season, that extra time off would give him additional time to recover. The worst-case scenario is falling into Play-In range without Murray and losing two games to end the season.
Nikola Jokic has been playing at an otherworldly level this season (what's new?), but he can't do it alone. He's averaged 40.5 points per game during the team's four-game losing skid.
The Nuggets need Murray to be at his best for them to have a chance to win their second title in three years. Unfortunately, he's not there. He's not even at a level where he can play. The concern is mounting in Denver with three games left to play in the regular season. Will Jamal return? And if he does, will he look anything like the 2023 playoff version of himself? Fans might not want to know the answers.