Injuries have, unfortunately, been a theme for the Denver Nuggets this season. From Christian Braun to Nikola Jokić, it's been one hit after another. With roughly a month and a half left until the playoffs, the team is still without two key players, Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson. As a result, the defense is specifically suffering, and fans are growing more anxious about whether Denver will be fully healthy.
Since returning from the All-Star break, the Nuggets are 2-4. They're riding a two-game losing streak after Friday's overtime loss to the Thunder and Sunday's loss to the Timberwolves, an L that pushed Denver down the conference standings to No. 5. The team is only half a game ahead of the No. 6 Lakers, and 2.5 games ahead of the No. 7 Suns.
Ending the season in play-in range would be disastrous for the Nuggets, even with the never-ending injuries. They need to finish in the top four so they can have homecourt advantage in the first round, at the very least.
Fans are well aware of the implications of the last month of the season. Some are more hopeful than others, but one thing every fan feels is frustration after watching the last couple of weeks.
I’m so sad and tired of losing. Same problems on repeat.
— Jen (@thuhJeneral) March 1, 2026
This team just doesn’t have it I hope I’m wrong but our defensive effort is so poor we can’t magically turn it on when it matters
— Big Mantis (@bigmantis234) March 1, 2026
This has been awful to live thru with them. The potential is so so high and they are far from that https://t.co/A2E70zjAIU
— Coral (@Coral_Kinder) March 2, 2026
That guy on the left back on the floor
— Ryan Brothers (@BrothersRyan) March 2, 2026
Nuggets fans are losing hope as the postseason draws nearer
The trade deadline is past. Khris Middleton, a player Denver was eyeing as a potential buyout option, opted to stay in Dallas. So, what is there for the Nuggets to do?
Well, let's hope that Gordon and Watson return soon, but not before they're fully ready. Maybe one (or both) will play again in a few days. Maybe it'll be a week — or longer. What we do know is that when they step back on the court, the defense, above all else, should benefit. Denver's defensive rating this season ranks 21st, but even with the injuries, its offense is No. 2. It's not hard to spot the difference there.
AG and Watson won't just boost the defense; they make an impact on both ends of the floor, from shooting to rebounding to making hustle plays. They're capable of doing a little bit of everything.
But while fans know this team isn't at its best yet, it's perfectly reasonable not to be satisfied with the effort (or lack thereof). Banking on Gordon and Watson to fully flip the script may not be the safest bet. Their absence isn't the root of all the Nuggets' problems, though it does account for a lot of them.
With the end of the season rapidly approaching, let's just hope there's enough time for everything to fall into place for Denver. No worries there, right? If only!