NBA Reviewing Nuggets-Wolves Altercation At End Of Game 4
After struggling in Game 3 — he shot just 7-of-26 from the field in the loss — Nuggets center Nikola Jokic praised Minnesota’s defense and acknowledged he needed to score much more efficiently ahead of Game 4, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.
Jokic didn’t find much more success in Game 4, however, scoring an inefficient 24 points and failing to convert any of his six field goal attempts in the fourth quarter, per Anthony Slater of ESPN. The three-time MVP’s frustration boiled over in the closing seconds of Saturday’s 16-point loss, when he was ejected for angrily confronting Jaden McDaniels, who decided to make an open layup rather than run out the clock (Twitter video link via ESPN).
“I don’t regret it,” Jokic said of the incident after the game. “Because he scored after everybody stopped playing.”
Timberwolves forward Julius Randle was also ejected as part of the incident, which occurred in front of Minnesota’s bench, Slater notes. The league is actively reviewing the altercation to determine if additional penalties are warranted, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (via Twitter).
As Slater writes, McDaniels has been an antagonist in the series, calling a number of Nuggets poor individual defenders after the Wolves pulled out a comeback win in Game 2.
“I don’t know,” McDaniels said when asked if he was in the Nuggets’ heads. “I said what I said, and I just come hoop every night.”
The Nuggets were up four at halftime on Saturday and were thoroughly outplayed in the second half by a Wolves team missing its starting backcourt — Donte DiVincenzo tore his right Achilles in the first quarter, while Anthony Edwards hyperextended his knee in the second period.
Jokic is averaging 25.0 points, 14.5 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 39.0 minutes per game in the series, but he’s also committing 4.0 turnovers and his shooting line is just .391/.185/1.000. The Serbian big man called his performance in the series “average,” then later credited Rudy Gobert‘s outstanding defense, according to Jason Quick of The Athletic.
“It’s a little bit of everything. You know, I’m not shooting the ball really well, especially from the three, and you know, Rudy is doing a good job with being physical, testing the officials, contesting shots,” Jokic said. “You know, he’s a really good defender. And not just him, they play very good … they’re big, long, tall, handsy, trippy, they’re bumping you, so… I think I answered (your question).”
Here’s more on the Nuggets, who are in a 3-1 hole ahead of Monday’s Game 5:
- Although Aaron Gordon was able to play 23 minutes on Saturday, he was clearly limited physically and head coach David Adelman suggested after the game the veteran forward might not be active for Game 5, tweets Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. “It was unfair for me to keep him out there,” Adelman said. “I felt like he was really laboring in the first half. … We’re going to have to decide what we do for Game 5.” Gordon, who was one of the players who appeared to leave the bench during the fracas, missed Game 3 due to a left calf injury.
- Both Gordon and Christian Braun said after Game 4 that the Nuggets were still frustrated after blowing a 19-point lead in Game 2, when they had a chance to go up 2-0, according to Quick. “It’s incredibly frustrating, just dwelling on Game 2,” Gordon said. “You know, not taking care of home court. So that’s the hard part about trying to let go, um, and focus on the next game, but knowing that we’ve let opportunities slip.”
- “Just an embarrassing first four games of the series,” Braun said (Twitter link via Durando). “We’ve just gotta show up in Game 5 and play well in front of our crowd. We owe that to them. We owe that to them to show up and play well.”
Nuggets/Wolves Notes: Jokic, Gobert, Murray, Edwards, Braun
The fact that Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets weren’t at their best on Saturday yet still managed to pull out a series-opening victory should scare both the Timberwolves and the rest of the NBA’s playoff field, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
While Jokic finished with 25 points (on 12-of-19 shooting), 13 rebounds and 11 assists (five turnovers) in 40 minutes, his performance was just OK by his lofty standards. Rudy Gobert, who had 17 points (on 8-of-9 shooting) and 10 rebounds, deserves a lot of credit for slowing Jokic down, especially in the first half, according to Thompson.
“It’s all Rudy,” Jaden McDaniels said. “Rudy did a good job the whole game just guarding and taking the challenge. That’s what we need every time we play against Jokic, just Rudy coming to compete. That’s the best game we’ve had from Rudy this year.
“He keep doing that,” McDaniels continued, “we’re going to win.”
The problem what that statement is the Wolves dropped a winnable Game 1, Thompson observes, even with Gobert playing near his peak and Jokic being merely good. If Denver’s depth can continue to deliver, Jokic will have more energy left in the tank as the Nuggets look to make a deep playoff run.
Here’s more on the first-round series between the two Northwest Division rivals:
- Another troubling takeaway for Minnesota from Game 1? Denver shot just 1-of-17 from three point range in the second half, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), and 10-for-36 overall (27.8%). The Nuggets, who converted a league-high 39.6% from deep as a team, went just 1-7 during the regular season when they shot under 28% from deep, but still came away with a win on Saturday, notes Wolf Wise Statistics (via Twitter).
- Jamal Murray also wasn’t at his best in Game 1, shooting just 7-of-22 from the field, including 0-of-8 from long distance. However, the Canadian star still finished with a game-high 30 points as he went 16-for-16 at the foul line, notes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. While several members of the Timberwolves took digs at the overall free throw discrepancy (33 to 19), they said that wasn’t the main reason they lost the game, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “Just key mistakes. Just little things, we put them on the free-throw line. A bunch of little things at certain moments,” said Julius Randle, who scored 16 points and was 7-for-16 from the field. “We’d get it to five, and they’d go on a 4-0 run, 6-0 run, stuff like that. We just gotta limit our mistakes down the stretch and try not to put ourselves in that position.”
- Although Anthony Edwards‘ overall stats (22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in 38 minutes) were solid, he didn’t look completely healthy as he continues to battle a nagging right knee injury and the Wolves definitely need more from him to win the series, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Head coach Chris Finch said Edwards wasn’t physically compromised, and Edwards agreed. “I felt good,” Edwards said. “I mean, a little fatigued. I haven’t played in like a month, month-and-a-half, so a little fatigued. But that was expected. Other than that, I felt good.”
- Nuggets coach David Adelman said Christian Braun did a “great” job limiting Edwards to an off shooting night (he was 7-of-19 from the field), according to Jason Quick of The Athletic, who says Braun looks forward to the challenge of slowing down the best players in the league. “I’m gonna learn what Ant does throughout the series … and it’s a series for a reason,” Braun said. “But I love the challenge. I love being able to guard the best players every night. I take pride … and obviously, it’s my job. So I gotta do it.“
Nuggets Control Playoff Seeding Heading Into Sunday
At this point in the season, tanking isn’t reserved just for the NBA’s worst teams, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. The Nuggets hosted the Thunder on Friday in a matchup of Western Conference powers, but most of the stars were in street clothes. Oklahoma City, which has already clinched the league’s best record, rested nine rotation players in an effort to boost Denver’s chances at holding onto the No. 3 spot and avoiding a playoff matchup until the conference finals.
Nuggets coach David Adelman responded by giving the night off to his entire starting lineup: Nikola Jokic (right wrist injury management). Jamal Murray (right shoulder impingement), Aaron Gordon (right hamstring injury management), Cameron Johnson (right ankle injury management) and Christian Braun (left ankle injury management and a right hip flexor strain). Adelman defended the move in a pregame session with the media.
“What’s on the injury report is what they’re out with,” he said. “They’re dealing with a lot more than that physically, not to mention some of the soft tissue stuff. Scary kinds of injuries. … ‘Hey, we’re the three seed, but we don’t have three starters — it doesn’t sound like a great solution.”
The shorthanded Nuggets wound up with a 20-point victory that clinched home court advantage in the first round and will face a similar situation on Sunday at San Antonio. Denver is a game ahead of the Lakers for the No. 3 seed, but Los Angeles holds the tiebreaker and is playing a Utah team that could use another loss to maximize its lottery odds.
The Nuggets can clinch third place and a first-round matchup with the No. 6 Timberwolves by beating the Spurs. If they’d rather face the No. 5 Rockets, they’ll need to lose tomorrow and hope for a Lakers win.
Murray, Gordon, Johnson and Braun have been declared out, along with Tim Hardaway Jr.. Spencer Jones and Peyton Watson. Jokic, who needs to play at least 15 minutes to qualify for postseason awards, is listed as questionable.
Durando adds that the Nuggets have engaged in internal discussions about the best playoff path, looking beyond the first round to a potential second-round meeting with the Thunder or Spurs. With no obvious answer, Adelman decided to prioritize making sure his players are as healthy as possible when the playoffs start next weekend.
“Us and Minnesota, it’s been a crazy back-and-forth over the years,” he said on Friday. “They swept us last year, but then we beat them three out of four this year. We always know it’s competitive with them. They’ve given us issues. We’ve given them issues. And then obviously Houston, I mean, they’re playing so well right now. … So there’s no good opponent in my opinion. I think you just have to play it out with decisions that are best for your team, and we feel like tonight, this is the best decision.”
Injury Notes: Wemby, Castle, Nuggets, Bulls, Tyson, Barrett
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has been upgraded from questionable to available for Friday’s game vs. Dallas, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News.
Orsborn’s colleague Jeff McDonald wrote on Thursday that San Antonio was privately optimistic that Wembanyama would be active Friday. The third-year center needs to play at least 20 minutes against the Mavs to qualify for major postseason awards. He left Monday’s game early due to a left rib contusion, an injury which sidelined him for Wednesday’s win over Portland.
Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, who also missed Wednesday’s game, will be out again Friday, Orsborn adds. Head coach Mitch Johnson said Castle is dealing with multiple nagging injuries; he was listed as having right knee soreness two days ago, while Friday’s designation is left foot soreness.
“Eighty games and the way he plays. It’s real. We’re not just sitting him just to sit him,” Johnson said.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- The Nuggets will be playing without all five of their normal starters on Friday against Oklahoma City, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post tweets. All five players (Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cameron Johnson) had previously been listed as questionable. Jokic sitting out means he’ll need to play at least 15 minutes in Sunday’s finale at San Antonio to be eligible for year-end awards.
- After missing three games with an illness, Bulls forward Matas Buzelis will return to action for Friday’s penultimate game vs. Orlando, according to Will Gottlieb of CHGO Bulls (Twitter link). Isaac Okoro (left quad contusion) will be out Friday but there’s a chance he could return for Sunday’s finale vs. Dallas, while Josh Giddey (left hamstring strain injury management), Guerschon Yabusele (left shoulder and left elbow sprains), Nick Richards (right elbow sprain) and Anfernee Simons (left wrist fracture) will miss the final two games of Chicago’s season.
- Jaylon Tyson is in the Cavaliers‘ starting lineup on Friday, tweets Danny Cunningham of Locked on Cavs. The second-year wing has missed Cleveland’s past 10 games due to a left great toe bone bruise. Tyson is starting in place of Donovan Mitchell, who is out with what the team calls right ankle injury management.
- Raptors wing RJ Barrett was a late scratch ahead of Friday’s contest vs. New York, as Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca relays (via Twitter). Barrett is dealing with right knee soreness. It’s the second night of a back-to-back for Toronto, which will also be without Immanuel Quickley and Collin Murray-Boyles. The Raptors can clinch a playoff spot if they beat the Knicks.
Former Nuggets GM Calvin Booth Discusses Denver Exit
Appearing on The Kevin O’Connor Show with Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, former Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth spoke at length about his time as the head of Denver’s basketball operations department and the factors that led to him and former Nuggets head coach Michael Malone being let go on the same day last April, with just three games left in the regular season.
While friction between Booth and Malone was the the reason most frequently cited as the reason why Denver made such a significant change with the 2025 postseason around the corner, Booth downplayed that conflict to some extent, suggesting it wasn’t unique to the Nuggets and was just one of several factors why he lost his job.
In Booth’s view, another one of those factors that led to his exit is that the Nuggets’ ownership group doesn’t value its front office executives as highly as other teams do.
“Whether it’s Mark Warkentien or Tim (Connelly) or Masai (Ujiri), there’s always gonna come a point where they don’t value executives like that,” he told O’Connor. “I’ll probably disagree with their take on executives, but who am I? They’ve been so successful, so maybe it’s the right way to operate.”
Booth also suggested that he might have made the general manager job “look too easy,” as O’Connor relays.
“Anybody that’s really good at something, when they make it look easy, that was really, really hard to get to,” Booth explained. “(It took) a lifetime’s worth of playing basketball, coaching basketball, having conversations, scouting. For me to go in there right away, assemble a championship team, win a championship.”
While those remarks may open up Booth to criticism, it’s worth noting that his track record in the GM role was pretty strong. After Connelly built the core of the roster, Booth added several valuable complementary pieces in his first offseason on the job in 2022, trading for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, signing Bruce Brown, and drafting Christian Braun and Peyton Watson outside the top 20. The moves helped Denver win its first NBA championship in 2023.
The Nuggets lost several of their veteran role players in subsequent summers, with Brown and Jeff Green departing in free agency in 2023 and Caldwell-Pope doing the same in 2024. Denver’s front office took some flak for not doing more to re-sign those key contributors, but Booth argues that doing so would’ve impeded the progress of some of the team’s most promising prospects.
“The reality of the thing is if we sign Bruce Brown back, we sign KCP back, or if they leave and we sign veterans … do Christian Braun and Peyton Watson do what they’re doing right now?” Booth said. “Definitely not.”
Despite limited draft resources, Booth continued to bring in young players – including Julian Strawther, Jalen Pickett, Hunter Tyson, Collin Gillespie, DaRon Holmes, and Spencer Jones – and his desire to develop those youngsters clashed with Malone’s preference to lean on win-now veterans, which was a primary source of the tension between the two men.
Still, Nuggets ownership’s aversion to operating deep in the tax meant that Booth had to try to find cheap talent to fill out the roster, and while not every one of his draft picks and UDFA signings was a success, many of those players have since developed into solid NBA rotation pieces in Denver or elsewhere.
“In most situations when somebody’s running a team, I don’t think the expectation is to bat 1.000,” Booth said. “For some reason, I started to get the feeling that that was the expectation for me from whoever was in and around the Denver Nuggets community.”
Here are a few more of Booth’s most notable comments from his appearance on O’Connor’s podcast, which is worth checking out in full for Nuggets fans:
On why his “idealism” might’ve clashed with Malone’s “realism” due to the nature of their respective roles:
“I have to take accountability whatever way that narrative grew legs and my part in it, I’ve learned from that. There’s such a weird paradox with NBA coaches. They’re in the midst of the lion’s den. They’re dealing with players, some of the most formidable size-wise and ego-wise in the world, and they’re managing them. Those guys buy in. And then these coaches have to report to a general manager who maybe doesn’t have the gravitas they do. I just think it’s a human nature thing.”
On the job that Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace have done running the Nuggets’ front office since last spring:
“They’re great. A lot of (the roster moves they made) we talked about when I was there. We thought we were gonna get (Jonas) Valanciunas at the trade deadline. Obviously, they did their own unique things, but the one thing about the new CBA, there’s only so many trades that can be done. It’s kind of like paint-by-numbers, in that sense. So anybody sitting in that seat in Denver is going to have some kind of Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson concept, because that’s just one of the better deals that was out there.”
On whether he’d like another chance to be an NBA general manager:
“Nobody’s entitled or owed an opportunity to run an NBA team. There’s 30 jobs. All those guys in their own way deserve to be in that seat. I’d be foolish to say that for the right scenario I wouldn’t be willing to work for somebody.
“My door wasn’t knocking down with people waiting to hire me. That’s where this whole thing got blown out of proportion. If you look tangibly at what I did — my win percentage, what I drafted, working with a coach like Coach Malone as a first-time GM — I just don’t know how my door isn’t knocking. … You could put 100 GMs in my position. I don’t know what, three or four of them do as good as I did.”
On whether he thinks Malone wants to find another NBA head coaching job:
“He doesn’t mind commentating games. But he would probably die to coach an NBA team tomorrow. And he deserves it. He’s a championship coach.”
Western Notes: Kerr, Braun, Barnes, Hinson
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr admits that tanking is a major concern for the league, but he doesn’t have any simple solutions, Nick Friedell of The Athletic writes.
“Ironically, the last few years, it seems like it has not been at the forefront like it is this year because of the play-in (tournament),” Kerr said. “More teams felt like they were in it. This year, it’s pronounced just because of the circumstances and where a lot of teams are — injuries, starting rebuilds, that sort of thing. I know the league is really concerned about it, as they should be. It’s not good for the fans, for the league itself. They’re considering everything. It’s a really tough issue.”
Kerr also sees the issue from the perspective of teams jockeying for lottery positions, knowing that one of the top picks in the 2026 draft could be a franchise-altering player.
“The bottom line is you kinda have to get lucky in the lottery,” Kerr said. “It’s what makes this issue so tricky, is that great players — Steph (Curry) and Tim Duncan, Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) — they’re not only team-changing, but they’re franchise-changing, for even beyond the scope of those guys’ careers. And so there’s only a handful of players that can do that, that are that valuable. And so teams are all clamoring for them. Sometimes, you don’t know who they are. Steph was the seventh pick. Giannis (Antetokounmpo) was the (15th) pick. So it’s not always the first couple guys, but more often than not, the first pick has an opportunity to be that guy, and that’s what creates this issue.”
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- Nuggets guard Christian Braun has appeared in four games since returning from a left ankle sprain. Braun missed nearly two months of action previously before an aborted attempt to come back last month from the same ailment. He played in only three January games before the ankle issue grounded him again and realizes now he wasn’t at full strength last month. “I think the biggest (factor) was, ‘Can I jump in the air?’” he told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “Obviously, they do all their tests (on an injury) and they do a really good job, but truthfully, I couldn’t jump. And if everybody has seen me play, I jump off my left leg a ton. So I’m just navigating, like, ‘Before I come back this next time, I need to make sure I can jump. I can run full speed and I can jump.’ It sounds really elementary and really basic, but that’s the truth. The explosion just wasn’t there.”
- Commissioner Adam Silver selected Brandon Ingram to replace Stephen Curry in the All-Star Game. Spurs forward Harrison Barnes felt teammates Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox were more worthy candidates. “We’re No. 2 in the West,” Barnes told Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News. “Teams below us have two All-Stars. I don’t know a case where if you’re talking about having an impact on winning, either of them shouldn’t be selected and/or at least under consideration.”
- Blake Hinson‘s two-way contract with the Jazz is a two-year deal, per Spotrac contributor Keith Smith (Twitter link). The 26-year-old small forward is in the midst of a standout year in the G League, where he’s averaging 21.8 points and 5.8 rebounds with Portland’s affiliate, the Rip City Remix. Hinson signed his new contract on Monday.
Injury Notes: Braun, Durant, Henderson, Spurs, Washington
Nuggets guard Christian Braun appears to be on the verge of returning to action. He has been upgraded to questionable for Denver’s game in Detroit on Tuesday, as Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette tweets.
A left ankle sprain has been a problem for Braun for much of the season. The 24-year-old initially injured the ankle on November 12 and returned on January 4, but suited up for just three games before heading back to the Nuggets’ injured list for several more weeks. He has been limited to just 14 total appearances in 2025/26.
Although Braun is trending toward returning either Tuesday or Wednesday, Denver’s starting lineup will still be far from whole. Cameron Johnson (right knee bone bruise) and Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain) remain on the shelf for the team.
Here are several more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Rockets forward Kevin Durant missed his third game of the season on Sunday due to a left ankle sprain, but head coach Ime Udoka is hopeful the former MVP’s absence won’t extend beyond that contest, tweets Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Houston picked up a win in Indiana on Sunday with Reed Sheppard starting in place of Durant.
- Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson has been listed as doubtful for Tuesday’s matchup with Phoenix. While his season debut may not happen tonight, Henderson said on Sunday that he feels “amazing” and “ready” to play after missing Portland’s first 50 games this season due to a hamstring tear, per Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.
- Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama was initially listed as questionable on Sunday due to left calf soreness, while guard Stephon Castle missed the contest as a result of left adductor tightness, but neither ailment is viewed as serious, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “It’s just been something that’s been a little tight,” head coach Mitch Johnson said of Castle’s injury. “Don’t foresee it being anything major or long-term. The (back-to-back) circumstances we were coming out of only added to it. We felt like it was the best decision for him (to sit out one game).”
- Mavericks forward P.J. Washington has entered the NBA’s concussion protocol and will miss at least Tuesday’s game vs. Boston, tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Washington will have to work his way through the protocol before being cleared to return to action.
Nuggets Notes: Gordon, Jokic, Watson, Braun
The Nuggets‘ hopes of having their preferred starting lineup together again soon were dashed when Aaron Gordon reaggravated his right hamstring strain, resulting in another four-to-six-week absence. The setback compounds a frustrating season for Gordon, who suffered the original injury in November and has only been available for 23 games, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.
“That’s a very unselfish person in Aaron, and being able to help his teammates and win games is a big part of who he is. It’s why his jersey will hang here,” coach David Adelman said. “So he’s where he should be (emotionally). Frustrated. Pissed off.”
Gordon returned to action on a minutes restriction earlier this month and was used off the bench for a few games as he eased back into his normal role. The latest injury occurred last Friday in Milwaukee on the second night of a back-to-back. Gordon played 33 minutes in the first game, but Adelman points out that he was able to pass a stress test and insists that “nobody made a mistake” by using him in that situation.
Durando adds that Gordon wasn’t able to undergo an MRI right away because the team got stranded in Memphis due to a blizzard last weekend. Adelman said Gordon had been hopeful that this hamstring issue was less serious than the previous one before the medical results were obtained. He’ll be sidelined until mid-March if the recovery stretches to six weeks, and Durando suggests the team may want to be extra cautious when he’s cleared to return.
“It hurts the team, but I’m more concerned about him,” Adelman added. “Just him having to restart this whole process, find the motivation to get back. We know he’ll be back before the end of the season. And he’ll get back to being who he is. Just an unfortunate thing in a season of many unfortunate things.
There’s more on the Nuggets:
- Nikola Jokic got into early foul trouble on Friday, which made it easier for Adelman to keep him on his minutes restriction in his return from a 16-game injury absence, per Logan Struck of Sports Illustrated. Jokic still made history in the 25 minutes he played, but Adelman didn’t have to worry about overtaxing him. “At the most, he probably would have played three more minutes, maybe,” Adelman said. “We’re just trying to balance it the best we can with the information that’s been given to us. But obviously he was very impactful.”
- Peyton Watson has been the biggest beneficiary of the offseason deal that sent Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn in exchange for Cameron Johnson, observes Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. Watson had been stuck behind Porter prior to this season, but he’s averaging more than 20 points per game over the past month and Keeler states that he’s established himself as either a core piece for the future or a valuable trade asset.
- Christian Braun has been upgraded to doubtful for Sunday’s game against Oklahoma City, the Nuggets announced (via Twitter). He has been sidelined since January 9 with a sprained left ankle.
Jokic Makes History In Return From Knee Injury
Nikola Jokic made a triumphant return to action on Friday. Jokic finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals in 24 minutes as the Nuggets posted a 13-point win over the Clippers. According to the Denver Post’s Bennett Durando, Jokic became the first player in NBA history to amass 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in fewer than 25 minutes.
Jokic missed the previous 16 games due to a knee injury.
“You miss playing. You miss the pressure. You miss the adrenaline. Just being out there with the guys and trying to win a game,” Jokic said. “It’s a collective that I missed. This hasn’t happened for me probably in my career. So it was an interesting feeling.”
Being out for an extended period was a helpless feeling for the three-time Most Valuable Player.
“Watching just a game, it was taking so much of my energy,” he said. “I was yelling at the TV when I stayed back in Denver, and then, like, in the games (I was attending), I was so emotionally empty after the games. And then I decided the last two games, I’m just gonna try to chill and watch the game.”
Denver still isn’t close to being a full strength with Aaron Gordon sidelined by a hamstring strain and Christian Braun (ankle) and Cameron Johnson (knee) also rehabbing injuries. But getting Jokic back is an enormous boost one of the Western Conference’s prime contenders.
Jokic said the knee wasn’t on his mind while he was on the court.
“I was not scared to use it,” he said. “I was not thinking about it while I’m running, while I’m playing, so I think that’s a good sign that I’m ready.”
Nuggets Notes: Gordon, Valanciunas, Watson, Jokic, More
David Adelman says Aaron Gordon is hopeful his latest right hamstring strain isn’t as severe as when he initially injured it in late November, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. However, the Nuggets‘ head coach also acknowledged Gordon’s status remains uncertain.
“I feel for him,” Adelman said. “He’s optimistic it’s not as bad as it was, the last one. But we won’t know until we get it actually tested.”
Gordon missed six weeks — and 19 games — before returning to action in early January. Adelman explained the team’s decision to play the veteran power forward in Friday’s win at Milwaukee, which was the second night of a back-to-back.
“It’s just the stress test. That’s what they go by,” Adelman said, per Durando. “And they look at his body and how it responded to yesterday. The response was good.
“And let’s just be honest. This is not an exact science. These injuries, they can come back any time. Aaron’s had different ones that are similar, the soft tissue stuff. … Nobody made a mistake with him playing. You can only do what you can do. And we have the best people in the world making decisions. They believed that the stress test showed he was good to go. So he did.”
Here’s more on the Nuggets:
- After Thursday’s win in Washington, Gordon said he was thrilled to have Jonas Valanciunas back in the lineup, Durando writes for The Denver Post. The Lithuanian center had missed 22 days due to a calf strain and finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes against his former team. “He pushes me back to the four,” Gordon said with enthusiasm when the topic of Valanciunas’ return came up. “It’s nice having somebody bigger on the floor than me. On the defensive end, on the glass, on the offensive end. … I can play big-big pick-and-roll again. I mean, he’s a fantastic player. And it’s nice having that center. That anchor back in, boxing out, getting rebounds.” It’s a very small sample size (54 minutes), but the Nuggets have blitzed their opponents with Gordon and Valanciunas on the court, Durando notes. “It’s been a while since I’ve played with him, so it’s great,” Valanciunas said. “He’s a good player. He’s very smart, very crafty. He knows what he’s doing on the floor. High-IQ guy.”
- Peyton Watson notched a career-best 35 points on 10-of-16 shooting in Thursday’s victory, according to Durando, though the fourth-year forward injured his left ankle in the process and sat out Friday with what the team referred to as sprains in both ankles. Watson, who has played exceptionally well over the past two months and particularly since Nikola Jokic went down with a knee injury in late December, also contributed eight rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals in 40 minutes. One high-ranking NBA executive told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps that Watson could receive a contract worth around $20MM annually in restricted free agency this summer.
- Jokic, Christian Braun (left ankle sprain) and Cameron Johnson (right knee bone bruise) all went through pregame shooting routines prior to Thursday’s contest, Durando adds. Jokic was wearing a sleeve on his injured left leg.
- In a fourth story, Durando explores five trends that have defined the Nuggets since Jokic got hurt.