Peyton Watson, Nuggets
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Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks looks to pass the ball past Peyton Watson of the Denver Nuggets.
The Denver Nuggets could not catch a break at the worst possible time.
Less than 24 hours after a grueling 134–127 double-overtime loss to the New York Knicks, Denver absorbed another significant setback when breakout forward Peyton Watson sustained a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, an injury that will sideline him for an extended period.
Tony Jones of The Athletic, citing league sources, first reported the diagnosis Thursday, hours after the NBA trade deadline had passed.
“BREAKING: Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson has suffered a grade 2 left hamstring strain and is expected to miss extended time,” Jones wrote. “Watson had been a breakout star for the Nuggets. This adds to their injury misfortune.”
“He is going to get another opinion, but it looks like [he’ll be out] at least a month,” Jones added in a subsequent post.
Peyton Watson Injury Caps Brutal Night for Denver
Watson exited Wednesday night’s game with 8:30 remaining in the fourth quarter after recording 10 points and five rebounds.
The timing of the injury was particularly cruel. Watson had emerged as a consistent starter in recent weeks, filling in for Aaron Gordon, who missed extended time earlier this season with his own hamstring injury that was recently aggravated.
“Nothing new to us,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said after the loss.
Denver has gotten used to having several key players down. But this time, the timing is brutal. Their lead for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference is now just half a game over the Houston Rockets.
“It’s deflating when you keep seeing people go down around you when you’re trying to build toward something,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said after the loss.
Watson’s Breakout Season Makes Loss More Costly
Since the start of the calendar year, Watson had been playing the best basketball of his career.
Over that stretch, the 22-year-old averaged 21.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.6 blocks, providing two-way impact that helped stabilize a lineup battered by injuries.
Denver has already navigated absences this season from three-time MVP Nikola Jokić, starting guard Christian Braun, backup center Jonas Valančiūnas, and Gordon’s lingering hamstring issues.
With Watson sidelined, the Nuggets are once again forced into rotation recalibration.
“It’s just the next iteration,” Adelman said. “We’ll have to re-evaluate the starting lineup, re-evaluate the rotation, get ourselves to the break and take a long, long rest.”
Another Injury, Roster Moves Add to Turmoil
Watson was not the only Nugget to leave Wednesday’s game early.
Two-way forward Spencer Jones exited with a head contusion after colliding with Karl-Anthony Towns late in the first quarter. Jones did not return.
“It was just a concussion protocol,” Adelman said, dismissing the idea that it was serious.
The Nuggets had just cleared a roster spot for Jones ahead of the deadline by trading Hunter Tyson and a 2032 second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets, acquiring the less favorable of the Clippers’ or Hawks’ 2026 second-round selections, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The move dropped Denver below the luxury tax line and opened the roster spot needed to convert Jones to a standard contract.
Jones, a second-year forward, has averaged 6.0 points and 3.1 rebounds while starting 34 games amid injuries across the roster.
Heavy Minutes for Jokic, Murray Raise Stakes
The double-overtime loss also forced Denver’s stars into massive workloads.
Jamal Murray logged 48 minutes while scoring 39 points, and Jokić recorded a 30-point triple-double in 45 minutes.
“I feel good,” Jokić told reporters. “I don’t feel any tiredness.
The workload marked a sharp increase for Jokić, who had played just 24, 29 and 32 minutes in his first three games back after missing a month with a knee bone bruise.
“I think we have muscle memory in our body,” Jokić added. “We’re used to playing.”
Nuggets Face Another Test of Depth
Now, Denver must again adjust without one of its most impactful contributors.
“Another guy has to step up,” Jokić said. “It’s a phrase, but it’s really like that. Every guy needs to accept the role and give something to us. When you’re out there, just play hard.”
For a Nuggets team already navigating thin margins, Watson’s injury represents another significant hurdle — one they must clear without the luxury of time or health on their side.