Denver Nuggets forward Cam Johnson is expected to miss 4-6 weeks after suffering a bone bruise in his right knee during a narrow loss to the Dallas Mavericks. An MRI showed no structural damage, providing some relief amid the team's injury challenges. The Nuggets, sitting third in the Western Conference at 21-8, now face further tests to their depth.
The injury occurred in the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 131-130 road defeat to the Mavericks on Tuesday, with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game. Johnson elevated for an offensive rebound after Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg missed a shot in the paint. As both players contested the ball, it caromed away to guard Jaden Hardy, and Johnson landed awkwardly, clutching his right knee in pain. He limped off the court following a timeout and did not return, initially listed as questionable with a right knee sprain.
The team announced on Thursday that Johnson, in his first season with Denver after a summer trade that sent Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets, sustained a bone bruise. He will be re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks. This marks the second significant issue for Johnson's right knee; early in the 2022-23 season with the Phoenix Suns, he tore the meniscus in the same knee.
Johnson has been a key starter, appearing in all 28 games and averaging 11.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 46.1% from the field, 42.9% from three-point range, and 81.0% from the free-throw line. His 3-and-D skill set has provided versatility, especially at power forward due to injuries.
The Nuggets are now without three starters. Aaron Gordon remains sidelined with a hamstring strain, and Christian Braun is about a week from re-evaluation after an earlier ankle sprain. Despite these absences, Denver has relied on Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray's elite production, bolstered by offseason depth additions, to maintain their strong position.
Losing Johnson further strains the wing rotation and forward spot, potentially increasing minutes for players like Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones, Zeke Nnaji, and Hunter Tyson. The team's defense, already vulnerable without Gordon and Braun, faces added pressure. Upcoming challenges include a Christmas Day matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, followed by a demanding East Coast road trip visiting Orlando, Miami, Toronto, Cleveland, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Boston.
Denver holds a 1.5-game lead over the Lakers and Timberwolves, and three games ahead of the Rockets in sixth place, underscoring the tight Western Conference race.
