The Nuggets took the floor on Saturday night in Orlando, missing multiple starters, as has been the case for over a month now. But there was finally some good news before the game when David Adelman offered an update, talking about Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon. He stated that the team is “hoping at the back end of this road trip we see them.”
Denver started a seven-game road trip on Saturday night, which will wrap up on January 7th in Boston. That’s still more than a week away, but that’s incredibly promising news for a team that could use some.
Braun was the first starter to go down when he sprained his ankle back on November 12th. Days later, Aaron Gordon went down with a hamstring injury on November 21st, and both were expected to be reevaluated in 4-6 weeks. We’re rapidly approaching those marks, and it sounds like, barring any setbacks, both players will be back in action soon.
Of course, in the meantime, another starter, Cam Johnson, suffered a knee injury on December 23rd and will be reevaluated in 4-6 weeks himself. It has been one tough blow after another, and for at least a few more days, the Nuggets will be down three starters. But from the sound of it, reinforcements are finally on the way.
Nuggets need to figure out what roster needs
Thankfully, the cavalry is returning because the season is creeping toward the halfway point, and we’ve barely seen what this team actually looks like at full strength. Denver brought in a bevy of players to shore up the bench, but thanks to all the injuries, everyone has been asked to slot up and play a bigger role.
Peyton Watson has had to start 18 games, Spencer Jones has started 15, and Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jalen Pickett, and even Zeke Nnaji have all made cameos in the starting five. It’s nice to see all hands on deck and guys willing to step up when needed.
But the Nuggets need to be preparing for the gauntlet that awaits in the Western Conference playoffs, and that means establishing steady rotations and allowing players to build chemistry together and get into a good rhythm.
It has barely been possible this season, which is nobody’s fault, but it’s a harsh reality. The trade deadline is right around the corner, and the Nuggets need to decide what positions and skillsets they want to attack, if any.
With any luck, AG and Braun will be back next week, and the Nuggets will get a full month to see what things look like with almost their entire rotation. It’s not the situation anyone hoped for, but this is also part of the reason the team went out and added depth. Let’s just hope there are no more medical setbacks this season.