Denver Nuggets Injuries: Key Players Affected

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If it wasn’t for bad luck…

The Denver Nuggets dodged a bullet when superstar Nikola Jokic’s injury proved not to be season ending. The three-time MVP, who was having perhaps his finest NBA season yet, was diagnosed with a bone bruise after hyper-extending his left knee against the Miami Heat on December 29^th. He was seen walking into the arena during the Nuggets next game at Toronto, but is still going to be out at least a month while he recovers.

And just when you thought things could not possibly get any worse for the team that currently sits in third place in the rugged NBA Western Conference standings, Jokic’s backup, Jonas Valančiūnas, pressed into starting duty in the star center’s absence, suffered a right calf strain in the Toronto game and now he will be sidelined for a month as well.

The Injury Bug Has Bitten the Nuggets Hard This Season

This latest injury leaves Denver without four of its five starters and five of its top seven players. And while he’s listed as probable for the next game at Cleveland on Friday night, the Nuggets lone remaining starter, guard Jamal Murray, is nursing a sprained ankle as well.

All this happened while Denver was already missing three of its five starters who are already out with injuries. Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson were all sidelined prior to the team’s seven-game east coast road trip. Braun and Gordon, each out since mid-November, are likely to return to the lineup before the end of the trip. While Gordon plays power forward, and has played some center during Jokic’s bench minutes, Braun and Johnson are guards.

Denver Head Coach David Adelman is going to have to find a way to play some effective small ball until Jokic and/or Valančiūnas return.

Rookie DaRon Holmes II, a slender 6’9” forward, was pressed into action against the Raptors and performed well. He, along with veteran Zeke Nnaji, will be asked to step in and play significant frontcourt minutes over the next month.

January Schedule Isn’t Easy, but it’s Manageable

Currently sitting at 23-10 after a miraculous 106-103 win in Toronto, Denver does have a very small cushion as far as their playoff standing goes. But with other West contenders like Houston and San Antonio – everyone is still chasing the red-hot Oklahoma City Thunder – playing very well, that cushion could disappear quickly if they can’t find a way to play something close to .500 ball over their next 18 games. They’re only 3 ½ games out of the sixth spot with four games left on this road trip.

After playing at Cleveland on Friday, the Nuggets have a back-to-back in Brooklyn and Philadelphia before finishing the trip in Boston on January 7^th. The only Western Conference contender the Nuggets play in January are the Los Angeles Lakers in Denver on January 20^th. They visit the defending NBA champion Thunder on February 1^st, when they hope to be back a full strength.

If the Nuggets are able to maintain a spot in the upper half of the Western Conference playoff standings while navigating these injuries and playing without Jokic, Adelman will have to get serious consideration for NBA Coach of the Year honors next spring.

Mark Knudson Mark is a former MLB pitcher for the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies. He’s the only person ever to play high school, college and professional baseball in Colorado. Mark earned a BA in Technical Journalism from Colorado State University and has worked in radio, television and print sports media since 1994. He’s the co-author of “Pitching to the Corners” with former teammate Don August and the author of “Just Imagine,” a historical fiction novel about The Beatles.
Mark is currently a feature writer and columnist for Mile High Sports in Denver and recently joined the team at Heavy.com. Mark is also a high school baseball coach in the Denver area. More about Mark Knudson