The Denver Nuggets were no strangers to injuries in the 2025-26 season. They lost Nikola Jokic for 16 games, the longest extended absence of his career. But it's the persistent soft-tissue issues that are becoming a growing problem leaguewide that helped to derail the Nuggets' season in the playoffs.
According to data compiled by Kirk Goldsberry at "The Ringer," soft-tissue injuries are on the rise, and the Nuggets were hit by two of them at the worst possible time. Both key players were the Nuggets' most athletic and best defenders, who they clearly missed against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Aaron Gordon returned from a re-aggravation of a Grade 2 right hamstring injury in March, only to suffer a left-calf injury that forced him to be limited in his mobility and miss three games against the Timberwolves.
And Peyton Watson missed the entire series against the Timberwolves after suffering a re-aggravation of a Grade 2 right hamstring strain he first suffered in early February. Watson appeared in only five games upon returning to the lineup in late March, and he could never get back on the court.
The data says the Nuggets are just part of the trend
The Nuggets had bad luck with injuries this season. But the overall trend in soft tissue injuries has increased dramatically over the last few years leaguewide.
This year saw the Lakers' Luka Doncic suffer what turned out to be a season-ending Grade 2 left-hamstring strain on April 2nd. The Timberwolves lost Donte DiVincenzo against the Nuggets to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
And last year, multiple big-name stars went down with injuries that lingered into 2025-26. Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2024-25 Finals while playing with a calf strain, and Damian Lillard tore his left Achilles tendon in Game 4 of the 2024-25 playoffs. Neither played in 2025-26.
Only Jayson Tatum, who ruptured his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 of the 2024-25 playoffs, was able to return for the 2025-26 season. Tatum made a miraculous recovery and played in 16 regular-season games and six playoff games.
Injuries held the Nuggets back
The Nuggets never had a chance to get healthy, gel, and play as a true team. Aaron Gordon is the glue that holds the team together, and he played only 36 games throughout the season. It's tough to get everyone on the same page and playing at their best when they're not on the floor consistently together over the season.
The Nuggets could actually have a better squad than the one they showed in the regular season and playoffs, but the injuries, obviously, slowed them down. But as the data shows, it's just part of a larger, troubling trend.
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