The Denver Nuggets sit third within the Western Convention at 21-8, however their depth will probably be put to the take a look at as soon as once more after seeing beginning ahead Cam Johnson undergo a knee damage.
Johnson sustained a bone bruise in his proper knee in a loss to the Mavs on Tuesday and whereas an MRI revealed no structural injury, he will probably be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks with the damage, the crew introduced on Thursday. Johnson is averaging 11.7 factors, 3.6 rebounds and a pair of.4 assists per sport on 46.1/42.9/81.0 taking pictures splits in 28 begins this season.
With Johnson out, the Nuggets at the moment are down three starters. Aaron Gordon stays sidelined with a hamstring pressure and Christian Braun continues to be every week away from his re-evaluation after spraining his ankle earlier this season.
Regardless of the absences of Gordon and Braun, the Nuggets have managed to remain close to the highest of the Western Convention because of the sensational play of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, in addition to getting robust contributions from their bench after bolstering their depth this offseason. With Johnson out, that depth will probably be put underneath even better stress, as will Jokić and Murray to proceed producing the vast majority of Denver’s offensive manufacturing.
With out Johnson, the Nuggets should ask extra of their wing rotation and lose some extra dimension and flexibility on the ahead spot. Johnson has performed extra energy ahead than small ahead this season as a consequence of Gordon’s prolonged absence, and the likes of Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones may even see extra time on the 4 — with Zeke Nnaji and Hunter Tyson additionally choices there from deeper down the bench.
All the things in Denver begins with their two stars, and so long as Murray and Jokić are wholesome, the offense will function at an elite degree. Nonetheless, their protection was already on shaky floor with out Braun and Gordon and shedding Johnson will make them even weaker on that finish of the ground. Braun and Gordon are each nearing their timetables for re-evaluation, however will nonetheless want time to ramp as much as sport form as soon as ultimately cleared.
Within the meantime, the Nuggets will look to carry on to robust place within the hotly contested Western Convention playoff race. They’re just one.5 video games up on the Lakers and Timberwolves and three video games forward of the Rockets in sixth. They will face that Minnesota crew within the nightcap of the Christmas slate of their first sport with out Johnson earlier than a prolonged East coast street journey that begins in Orlando and goes to Miami, Toronto, Cleveland, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Boston.
