The Denver Nuggets took a tough hit in more ways than one during their razor-thin 131-130 loss to the Dallas Mavericks - and not just on the scoreboard. Forward Cameron Johnson went down with what looked like a potentially serious right knee injury, a moment that had Nuggets fans collectively holding their breath.
Fortunately, the initial scare has a silver lining. Tests revealed no structural damage in Johnson’s knee.
He’s been diagnosed with a bone bruise - painful, yes, but not season-ending. Still, the Nuggets will be without him for a stretch, as he’s expected to be sidelined for at least four to six weeks before being re-evaluated.
That timeline means Johnson is officially out through the heart of the winter schedule, joining a growing list of sidelined Nuggets starters. Aaron Gordon remains out with a hamstring injury he suffered back on November 21, and Christian Braun has been nursing a left ankle sprain since November 12. That’s three key rotation players - all down at once - for a team with championship aspirations.
And now, with the Christmas Day showdown against the Minnesota Timberwolves looming, the Nuggets will lean even more heavily on their two pillars: Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Jokic, the three-time MVP, has already been doing the heavy lifting all season, but the burden just got heavier. Murray, still working his way back to peak form after his own early-season injury, will be counted on to ramp up both his scoring and playmaking.
In Johnson’s absence, Peyton Watson will continue to see elevated minutes in the starting lineup. The second-year wing has shown flashes of two-way potential, and this stretch could be a defining opportunity for him to carve out a bigger long-term role.
Meanwhile, veterans Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. will be asked to stabilize the rotation. Brown’s defensive versatility and Hardaway’s scoring punch become even more valuable in this stretch of adversity.
Interestingly, though Johnson’s official diagnosis is a bone bruise, the team’s injury report lists him under “right knee hyperextension injury management.” That’s not uncommon - teams often use broader terms to reflect the nature of the rehab process - but it does underscore the fact that this isn’t a minor tweak. The Nuggets are going to be cautious with Johnson, and rightly so.
While it’s never ideal to lose a starting-caliber wing in the middle of a playoff push, the fact that Johnson is expected to return before the end of the regular season is a big win in itself. The injury looked far worse in real time, and had there been ligament damage, we’d be talking about a very different timeline.
For now, the Nuggets will have to weather the storm. Their depth will be tested, their stars will be leaned on, and their role players will need to step up. But if they can stay afloat until Johnson, Gordon, and Braun return, this stretch could end up being a galvanizing chapter for a team with its eyes still firmly set on another deep postseason run.