Things have quickly gone from bad to worse in Denver and the Nuggets are on the verge of a panic. The team has now lost four games in a row and won just six of their past 16 games dating back to early March.
Part of it has seemed like coasting to the finish line, but it has become clear that’s not the case. They have taken a tumble in the standings back to the pack in the West. They appeared destined for the two or three seed all season, but now with just three games to play, they have the same amount of losses as four other teams and are tied in the loss column with the eighth seed.
Now, to make matters worse, Jamal Murray has missed five games in a row with a hamstring injury. At first, it seemed like the team was just giving Murray some rest, but that’s clearly not the case as it has now been over a week of absences with no return in sight.
Before Sunday’s game, coach Michael Malone insisted that this isn’t a matter of the team playing it cautious, but that Murray has a legitimate injury. When asked about Jamal’s playoff availability, Malone said “hopefully” he will be back but stated the injury started out as a day-to-day issue, but that’s no longer the case.
Nuggets missing playoffs becoming realistic
We’ve reached the point where it’s not crazy at all to think the Nuggets may end up in the play-in tournament. They have the same amount of losses as the seven and eight-seed with just three games left to play.
If they lose all three games - and possibly even if they don’t - they will be in the play-in tournament, forced to play do-or-die basketball games just to make the playoffs. Now that Murray is a question mark it’s time to be asking even bigger questions.
If Murray can’t return and the team gets eliminated in the play-in major changes are going to be needed this offseason. Jamal just signed a max extension that kicks in next season, but this trend of being unavailable or less than 100% for the playoffs has become a consistent theme.
Future of Jokic, Murray, Malone suddenly dreary
The team will have to eventually look into making major changes around Nikola Jokic to add to his supporting cast or Jokic may look around and decide it’s time for him to move on. That would be the worst thing to possibly happen to this franchise, but sadly, it has become a topic worth broaching.
He deserves better and his prime years are wasting away relying on an underwhelming supporting cast that can’t even stay healthy. Major changes are coming one way or another. Trading Jokic is a last-resort, doomsday scenario. Moving Murray and other high-paid players for value won’t be easy.
That’s going to inevitably mean the statuses of Michael Malone and Calvin Booth will come into question. The team can still salvage this situation, but if things don’t turn around in a hurry, we are headed for an extremely tumultuous offseason that will have the Nuggets’ franchise looking a lot different next year.