The Denver Nuggets have finally built a rotation that takes pressure off of three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. They bolstered the second unit with veterans Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Jonas Valanciunas, found an ideal replacement for Michael Porter Jr. in Cameron Johnson, and developed key contributors such as Spencer Jones and Peyton Watson.
With a championship already to their name and a 35-20 record with the final third of the regular season upon them, the Nuggets are true contenders—if they can finally get and stay healthy.
In a recent article about what to watch during the final stretch of the 2025-26 season, Tim MacMahon of ESPN called the Nuggets' current core the best supporting cast of Jokic's career. It's a take that few will dispute, as Denver's paper roster is deep, balanced, and flush with both veterans and up-and-comers.
Unfortunately, MacMahon offered the reminder that Nuggets fans knew was coming: That Denver's success will be based almost entirely on if it can finally avoid the injury bug.
"That depends on the health of the Denver Nuggets, who pushed the Thunder to seven games in the West semifinals last season. Like Oklahoma City, Denver has been hit hard by injuries throughout the season, but the Nuggets' revamped front office has constructed the best supporting cast of Nikola Jokic's career -- if all the key contributors are available for the playoffs."
It's the unfortunate truth that every Nuggets fan knows: Denver is good enough to win a title, but it won't be able to do much against the Oklahoma City Thunder if it can't get healthy.
Nuggets will only be true contenders if they can finally get healthy
Denver's brilliant offseason has unfortunately been offset to some degree by the endless stream of injuries to its starting lineup. Four different starters have missed at least 16 games, with many comfortably clearing that mark.
That includes Jokic, who missed 16 games due to a scary knee injury that thankfully wasn't as bad as it could've been.
Johnson, one of Denver's big offseason acquisitions, currently sits at 24 games missed coming out of the All-Star break. Defensive stalwart Aaron Gordon, who's otherwise in the midst of the best scoring season of his career, has missed 32.
If that weren't enough, Christian Braun has been absent from 36 games during the final season before his five-year, $125 million contract extension kicks in.
Denver deserves endless credit for how it's overcome these injury woes to still sit at No. 3 in the Western Conference. The goal is not to simply rank among the best, however, but to actually win a second championship—particularly with a superstar in Jokic who recently turned 30.
The Nuggets' championship dreams are alive and well, but MacMahon offered a harrowing reminder that actually defeating the Thunder in a seven-game series will require a healthy rotation.