The Denver Nuggets have endured an almost unbelievable string of injuries during the 2025-26 season. Four full-time starters have missed at least 16 games and breakout star Peyton Watson is now recovering from a Grade 2 right hamstring strain.
If there's a silver lining to be found, it's the fact that the steady flow of injuries have allowed the Nuggets to fit their moving pieces back into place without compromising others' progress.
Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon have appeared in just 23 of the Nuggets' 59 games up to this point in the season. Signature offseason acquisition Cameron Johnson hasn't been all that far ahead of them in regard to availability with just 35 appearances.
Even Nikola Jokic, who has played fewer than 70 games just once—when he appeared in 69 in 2022-23—has missed 16 outings.
For a team with a surplus of new faces and up-and-comers still finding their way, that could've proved disastrous. Instead, Denver is 37-22, sits a mere tiebreak away from the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, and is on pace for yet another 50-win season.
Though injuries are by no means a blessing, there is a blessing in disguise: The Nuggets have been able to figure out how to resolve many of their uncertainties.
Injuries allowed Nuggets to integrate, reintegrate, and develop talent
Prior to Braun's injury, Watson was somewhat lost in the shuffle. He'd averaged 21.1 minutes per game during the 11 outings before Denver lost its starting shooting guard, playing fewer than 20 in four of his appearances.
Since then, Watson has played an average of 33.4 minutes per game—and the need for two-way value at the 2-spot has allowed him to emerge as a star on the rise.
Braun, meanwhile, played just three games between Nov. 13 and Feb. 2. Questions inevitably circulated in regard to how he would fit with the team now that Watson had broken out and the proverbial hierarchy had seemingly been altered.
Rather than having to simultaneously rediscover his form and adapt to a new role, however, Watson's injury has allowed Braun to simply focus on getting back to the level he's capable of.
Furthermore, Gordon and Johnson's absences have left voids at forward that unsung heroes have risen to address. Julian Strawther has taken a surprising step forward at 12.6 points in 23.0 minutes per game over his past 15 outings, while Spencer Jones has earned a roster spot with his physicality and defensive value.
The Nuggets will only win a championship if they can get back to 100 percent health, but the silver lining is that new levels of depth have been established and reintegration has been simplified.