Nuggets, after losing another starter in Cameron Johnson, take on Timberwolves
Denver's four-game road winning streak was snapped at Dallas on Tuesday night, but the Nuggets lost more than just a game heading into their home matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.
Forward Cameron Johnson went down with a knee injury in the second half of the 131-130 loss to the Mavericks. Johnson needed help walking off the floor and didn't return.
According to reports on Wednesday, Johnson suffered a bone bruise on the right knee and avoided structural damage to the joint. The team had not announced a timeline for his return to the lineup, but ESPN reported Johnson will miss some time. He is averaging 11.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 28 games (all starts).
Johnson's injury means Denver will not have three of its opening-night starters available against Minnesota. Only Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the team's leading scorers, are still healthy from that lineup.
Christmas night will be the third of four meetings between the rivals, with the Nuggets winning the first two games in Minneapolis. Forward Aaron Gordon, guard Christian Braun and Johnson played in first meeting on Oct. 27, but Braun (sprained ankle) hasn't played since Nov. 12.
Gordon injured a hamstring on Nov. 21 and has been sidelined for a month, but he and Braun are close to returning.
The absences of three key players will put a damper on the capper to the NBA slate of games on Thursday.
"It's always great to play on Christmas Day," said guard Bruce Brown, who will be a candidate to start for Johnson. "Christmas shoes, the old-school throwback jerseys that you think about. I mean, the whole world will be watching."
With Johnson out, head coach David Adelman will have to figure out a new lineup. Spencer Jones, a two-way player, has been in the starting lineup for most of Gordon's absence, in part to keep the bench rotation intact.
Denver will need even more from Jokic, who leads the NBA in rebounding (12 per game) and assists (10.9) and is seventh in scoring (28.9). Murray is averaging a career-best 25.1 points per game.
The Timberwolves have surged since late November, winning five of their last six games and 10 of their last 12, including victories over Oklahoma City and the New York Knicks.
Minnesota is led by Anthony Edwards, who is averaging 28.7 points a game, which is eighth in the league. Julius Randle is second at 22.6 points a game and Jaden McDaniels is third, averaging 15 points a night.
Edwards missed the first meeting against the Nuggets and had 26 points and eight rebounds in the loss to Denver on Nov. 15. He isn't lacking in confidence, telling ESPN he will have a good game on Christmas night.
"I'm gonna have 30 (points), for sure," he said. "I might have 40. But it's gonna be a night."
Although the Timberwolves have lost the first two games to the Nuggets this year, they have thrived in Denver over the last 19 months. Minnesota has won five of its last six in Colorado, dating back to the 2024 Western Conference semifinal series.