There has been pessimism about the possibility of Jamal Murray returning to the Denver Nuggets this season, but Michael Malone has indicated no decision has been reached.

“I don’t think it makes any sense to (say) … ‘We’re shutting him down,’” Malone said. “Who knows where the season’s going to go? A lot of crazy things can happen with six games to go, as well as into the postseason. Now with the play-in, the regular season ends and there’s a week for the play-in, then the playoffs start. It used to be, the season ended and playoffs started right away.

“I don’t think we need to paint ourselves into a corner and make any definitive decisions right now because this is not a mile race where it’s four laps and it’s over,” Malone said. “We have no idea where the finish line is. Until we have a better idea of that, let’s leave all options on the table and see what happens on a day-to-day basis.”

About 30 minutes before tip-off on Wednesday, Murray worked himself into a sweat doing drills against a handful of Denver’s player development staff. 

“I think the question on everybody’s mind is, ‘Will he play this year?’” Malone continued. “I’ll be honest, we still don’t have an answer. There’s been zero pressure from me to him about him coming back this year. Now we have (five) games to go, and it’s kind of a weird time to come back because every game is so important, so the balance of trying to work a guy back in as well as understanding that, ‘Hey man, every game matters.’ That is a tough dynamic to balance.

“But if Jamal Murray says to me, ‘Hey coach, I’m ready, man, I’d like to play,’ and he’s been cleared, then we’d figure it out,” Malone said. “I think, like anybody coming back, there are good days, there are great days, and there are some tough days. I think that’s kind of what he’s been dealing with probably the last month as he’s ramped up a little bit. And certain days I’m sure he feels great, and the next day he might feel like, ‘Man, I don’t know if I can do this.’ The biggest part for him, right now, is the confidence to go out there and be able to play without thinking about everything he’s doing. That’s the hardest thing when you’ve been away from the game for almost a year like he has been.”

Evan Mobley has been ruled out for Wednesday's game versus Dallas with a left ankle sprain and will not accompany the team to Atlanta and New York.

An MRI administered on Tuesday at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health confirmed the injury.

Mobley will now undergo a period of treatment and rehabilitation and his return to play will be updated as appropriate. 

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams underwent surgery for a torn meniscus on Wednesday morning. Following surgery, the expectation is that Williams will return to the lineup in 4-6 weeks.

Williams was injured at some point in the Celtics victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. Imaging showed the fourth-year center tore his meniscus in his left knee.

There is optimism Williams could return on the shorter end of his timeline. Four weeks would have Williams back towards the end of the first round or beginning of the second round of the playoffs.

Michael Porter Jr. has suffered a minor setback in his rehab from back surgery.

Porter underwent surgery on December 1st, which was the third of his career.

The setback stemmed from overcompensation and overwork amid his rehab, according to a source.

The Denver Nuggets have yet to determine whether Porter will be shut down for the remainder of the season.

Porter's agent, Mark Bartelstein, expressed optimism in late February that he would return in March. 

Kendrick Nunn is expected to be ruled out for the rest of the 21-22 season due to a bone bruise in his knee.

Nunn will still undergo an MRI on the knee even though he's expected to remain out as he continues to rehab.

Nunn has missed the entire season with the injury.

Anthony Davis could return to game action as early as Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans if he doesn't have any setbacks. Davis could also return on Sunday against the Denver Nuggets.

Davis has been out since February with a foot injury.

The Los Angeles Lakers are battling to secure a spot in the play-in.

LeBron James is expected to miss Thursday's game at the Utah Jazz with an ankle injury.

Frank Vogel indicated that James is continuing to experience soreness in the ankle.

The Lakers host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday and the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

Evan Mobley landed awkwardly on his left ankle during Monday's game, but x-rays were negative, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

There was no initial read on the severity of the injury and Mobley simply said the ankle was "sore."

“The injuries have kind of piled up and taken a toll on our depth,” J.B. Bickerstaff said. “But what we focus on is how connected the guys have continued to be and how much they want each other to be successful, how much they’ve bought into one another and bought into the team and played for something bigger than themselves. That’s continued from the beginning of the year until now.”

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Darius Bazley has joined a long list of teammates to be ruled out for the season. Bazley suffered a non-displaced tibial plateau fracture in his right knee.

Bazley had been one of the more durable members of the Thunder lineup this season. The third-year forward had played in 69 games this year, with 53 starts. Bazley averaged 10.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and a block per game.

Oklahoma City recently ruled several other players out for the season. Bazley joins Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Lu Dort, Ty Jerome and Mike Muscala on the sidlines for the rest of the year.

The Detroit Pistons have ruled out Jerami Grant for the remainder of the 21-22 season with a strained left calf.

Grant suffered the injury on Friday.

Grant enters an uncertain offseason with the Pistons as he has been the subject of trade rumors.