Just as the Denver Nuggets were finally starting to look whole again, the injury bug bit back, and it bit hard. In the middle of a high-stakes showdown against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night, breakout forward Peyton Watson was forced to exit the game early.

The third-year wing clutched his leg and limped straight to the locker room, with the team later confirming a hamstring injury. The timing of the injury couldn't be worse for the Nuggets.

Denver had just welcomed three-time MVP Nikola Jokic back to the lineup after a 16-game absence, and guard Christian Braun had also recently returned to shore up the perimeter. With Aaron Gordon already sidelined with his own hamstring issue, Watson had stepped into a massive role as the team’s primary defensive stopper and a secondary playmaker.

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Before the injury, Watson was having a solid night in the “Mecca” of basketball. He had already logged 10 points and a highlight-reel slam dunk in the third quarter off a beautiful no-look dime from Jokic. Coming into this game, Watson had been on a tear, averaging 20.5 points over his last 20 outings, including a career-high 35 points against the Washington Wizards last month.

Without Watson, the Nuggets lose a versatile wing who provides elite shot-blocking and transition scoring. The defensive burden now shifts heavily to Braun and veteran Tim Hardaway Jr., while head coach Michael Malone will likely have to dig deep into his bench for minutes from Julian Strawther or Jalen Pickett.

Nuggets fans will be holding their breath for an MRI update. If Watson is out for an extended period, Denver's climb back to the top of the Western Conference just got a whole lot steeper.