At the worst possible time, Denver nuggets suddenly become spiral.
With more than a week left before the opening of the NBA playoffs, the Denver Nuggets endure a tough stretch of losses.
The Nuggets slide began when Nicola Jokic’s historic 61-point triple double was wasted on a double spread loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves
With a 47-32 card and a 0.5 game lead in the current eighth Memphis Grizzlies, the Nuggets are at risk of losing a skid in four games and being as low as the play-in tournament.
The main factor behind the worsening situation for the Nuggets was the long-term absence of Jamal Murray.
The Nuggets star has already missed his fifth straight game for the team as he nurses inflammation of his right hamstring.
In Denver’s final 125-120 loss to the Indiana Pacers, manager Michael Malone dropped an interesting comment on how the team carefully handled Murray’s condition while keeping him out in the past few games.
“Jamal hurts. I’m not careful. He’s hurt,” Malone said. “That’s why there’s a big difference.
“If a guy can play, be careful if you want to be smart. We’re not in a situation to do that. Four teams are competing for four (playoffs) spots.
“So if Jamal Murray isn’t there, I won’t be careful because he literally can’t play at this point.”
When Canadian security guards were asked if they would return to the Nuggets lineup as soon as the postseason approached, Denver leaders continued to express surprising words.
“Hopefully he can go back to the (playoffs),” Malone said. “This was strange. It’s the day, the day, the next thing you know, not the day.”
This season, Murray averaged 21.6 points and 6.0 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 steel, making 65 minutes in 65 minutes.
Fresh after signing the four-year profitable maximum expansion, the $208 million worth of maximum extension has struggled to find his groove this season, and has seen many ups and downs from bounce back in his career performance in January.
Murray stands as the Nuggets’ second best player behind Nicola Jokic. When playoff time hits the clock, Denver needs his scoring explosion and Clutch acquisition.
With Murray still out on an uncertain base, Malone constantly preaches the next man’s mentality across the nugget to hold the line down in the most important segment of the season.
“It’s obviously a huge loss for us, but it can be more than enough for us,” Malone said. I showed it over and over again in that locker room.
“So, if Jamal can’t go, we need others to play hard. We don’t know if we’re getting it from anyone right now, so we play desperately and play urgently. And we need it.”
With three games remaining on the regular season calendar, the pressure time is at the Nuggets. Until Murray is healthy and available, they will have to do whatever it takes to keep their playoff chances alive.