The Denver Nuggets have kept up towards the top of the Western Conference despite dealing with a slew of injuries in the last month or so. They have gone 4-6 in their last ten games in the absence of Aaron Gordon and breakout wing Peyton Watson, who have both been suffering from hamstring injuries.
In the midst of it, head coach David Adelman has thrown in some optimism, claiming that he expects the entire group to be fit with plenty of regular-season games left.
“My hope is that we get the full group back with 20 games to go,” he said per a post on X by the Denver Post’s Bennett Durando.
Gordon, who hasn't suited up since re-aggravating his hamstring on January 23 against Milwaukee, has finally resumed game-speed situational defensive drills. Meanwhile, Watson has been out since a grueling double-overtime loss to the New York Knicks on February 4.
However, the coaching staff is targeting a return for the complete core with about 20 games remaining in the regular season. That is extremely optimistic considering Denver only has 24 games remaining.
Before his left hamstring strain halted his momentum, Watson was putting together a monstrous stretch. From the start of the calendar year to his February 4 injury, the 22-year-old was averaging 21.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.1 steals while shooting a blistering 45.7% from three-point range.
The urgency to get Gordon and Watson back on the floor has been compounded by Nikola Jokic recently picking up a hand injury. Jokic is carrying an unfathomable statistical load, averaging 28.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 10.5 assists while shooting 58% from the floor and 42% from deep.
However, that has not stopped the Nuggets from dropping games, which further points to the importance of the absentees. Gordon, in particular, is not merely an important two-way presence on the roster. He also has a knack of coming good at the business end of the season, and Denver would prefer to have him fully fit and firing.
