jamal-murray-nuggets-g.jpg
Getty Images

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is likely to return from a six-game absence against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, according to The Athletic's Sam Amick and Tony Jones. Murray has been sidelined with right hamstring inflammation; last weekend, then-coach Michael Malone told reporters that the injury has been "a weird one" and Murray would "hopefully" be able to play at the beginning of the playoffs.

The Nuggets fired Malone on Tuesday, and general manager Calvin Booth is out, too. After snapping a four-game losing streak with a 124-116 win against the Sacramento Kings under interim coach David Adelman on Wednesday, they only have two games left on the schedule: Friday's meeting with Memphis and the regular-season finale against the Houston Rockets.

If Murray indeed plays against the Grizzlies, he will be jumping into a playoff-like situation. Denver and Memphis have split the first two games of the season series, and this is what the Nos. 3–8 spots in the Western Conference look like right now:

If the Nuggets win their next two games, they'll finish fourth in the West. Given that Houston is locked into the second seed, they could face a bunch of reserves in Game 82. Memphis, however, is in the same fight that they are, and, if it beats the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, it will enter Game 81 with the same record. (Another similarity: The Grizzlies also fired their coach shockingly late in the season.)

In a 25-game stretch preceding Murray's absence, the 28-year-old guard averaged 24.5 points (on 62.6% true shooting), 3.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists and generally looked like the All-Star-caliber player he was when Denver won the 2023 title. I'm not sure if he'll be able to pick up right where he left off, but the Nuggets' postseason hopes rest on him finding his form quickly.