Jamal Murray's NBA playoff availability remains uncertain; here's what Michael Malone said on his return

Jamal Murray's lingering right hamstring injury forced the star point guard to miss his fifth consecutive game for the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. The side's former coach Michael Malone said Murray will "hopefully" be back in the side for the NBA playoffs.

As Murray's availability for the start of the NBA playoffs remains uncertain, the Nuggets continue to suffer in his absence. The team faced its fourth straight loss on Sunday without having Murray in the lineup, Yahoo Sports reported.

Denver Nuggets vs Indiana Pacers

In Sunday's game, the Pacers registered a 125-120 win against the Nuggets in a close encounter. This happened even when the Nuggets played at its home -- the Ball Arena in Colorado's Denver.


Ahead of the game, Malone spoke about Murray's health in detail as the Nuggets ruled him out prior to tip in the fifth straight game due to a hamstring injury.

Earlier, Murray was said to be facing issues such as inflammation and tightness.

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In each of these games, Murray got listed as questionable by his side and was later ruled out on the game day itself.

Nikola Jokić had a major game in Murray's absence as he scored 41 points, 15 rebounds as well as 13 assists against the Indiana Pacers.

Another major highlight of the day was Christian Braun, who played one of his best games, scoring a total of 30 points, accompanied by eight rebounds and four assists.

However, the Nuggets failed to impress in the later part of the game as the side missed out several opportunities in Murray's absence.

The loss against the Pacers on Sunday has now dropped Denver Nuggets to 47-32, while it stands on the fourth place in the West.

Michael Malone on Jamal Murray

Malone, who was on Tuesday fired as the head coach of Denver Nuggets, spoke about Murray's health with mediapersons prior to the Sunday's game.

He said that Murray is "hurt" and it is not about being careful, since there is a "big difference" between the two.

"Careful is if a guy can play and you want to be smart. We're not in a situation to do that," Denver Post quoted Malone as saying.

On being asked about Murray's anticipated comeback before the playoffs, Malone said, "Hopefully he's able to be back by then".

However, he was quick enough to add that this is a "weird one" and not something that happens "day-to-day."

The Denver Nuggets now have three matchups remaining before kick-starting the postseason events.

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FAQs

1. When is the Denver Nuggets' next match?
The Nuggets will face the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, April 9.

2. When will the 2025 NBA Playoffs begin?
The opening rounds of the playoffs start on April 19.