Malone 'hopeful' Murray will be available for start of postseason

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone is "hopeful" that starting point guard Jamal Murray will be able to return for the beginning of the playoffs, he said Sunday, according to the Action Network's Matt Moore.

Murray, 28, has been sidelined since March 27 due to hamstring inflammation.

The Nuggets are 1-4 since his injury, and their offensive rating dropped from 118.8 to 114.1 heading into Sunday's contest against the Indiana Pacers.

"This has been a weird one. (Murray was) day-to-day, day-to-day, then all of a sudden, it's not day-to-day," Malone lamented, per Nuggets writer Matt Brooks.

Malone stressed the organization isn't just being precautionary.

"Jamal's hurt. It's not careful. He's hurt. So there's a big difference. Careful is if a guy can play and you want to be smart. We're not in a situation to do that," he said, courtesy of Bennett Durando of the Denver Post.

Murray has only appeared in 65 games this season due to lingering knee and hamstring issues, as well as a concussion sustained at the beginning of the campaign.

The Kentucky product is averaging 21.6 points and six assists this season on 47.6/39.6/88.7 shooting splits. He scored a career-high 55 points in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers in mid-February.

The Nuggets have a one-game lead over the Golden State Warriors for fourth in the West.