Maybe 2026 will be kinder to Denver on the injury front, because the end of 2025 was brutal. Including on the last day of the year.
Already down four starters — including MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic — the Nuggets had his replacement at the five, Jonas Valanciunas, leave Wednesday’s game in Toronto with what the team called a calf strain. Valanciunas was in a boot postgame, and his comments were concerning.
With Valanciunas out, coach David Adelman had no choice but to go with small-ball lineups the rest of the way, which worked because Peyton Watson stepped up with 24 points and eight rebounds. Adelman sounded postgame like a guy who has been there and done that with injuries lately.
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“They said it’s a calf strain. I don’t know how serious it is,” Adelman said postgame. “We’re getting used to this. It seems every night someone has something. The cool thing about it is there is somebody else to get an opportunity from it, and that’s how we have to look at it…
“Hopefully Jonas heals up correctly, hopefully it’s not serious, just like I said the other 19 times this month.”
The Nuggets are already without starters Jokic, Aaron Gordon (hamstring strain), Christian Braun (ankle sprain) and Cam Johnson (knee hyperextension).
If Valanciunas has to miss time, don’t be surprised if the Nuggets fill their open 15th roster spot with a free agent center, otherwise it leaves just DaRon Holmes and Zeke Nnaji to play the five.
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Denver faces Cleveland on Friday.
