Recently, the Denver Nuggets got a boost when wing Peyton Watson returned to the lineup for their game against the Portland Trail Blazers at home. Denver won that game in spectacular fashion, with Watson finishing the night with 14 points in limited action off the bench.
The Nuggets will next take the field on Tuesday night for a road game against the Phoenix Suns, but unfortunately, Watson will be held out of this matchup due to hamstring injury management, as indicated by the latest official NBA injury report.
It's certainly understandable that the Nuggets would want to be cautious in getting Watson back into the lineup amid an injury that kept him out of the lineup for nearly a month. For a time, both Watson and fellow Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon were sidelined with hamstring injuries, Gordon's second such ailment of the season, and third in the past year, tied to the 2025 playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
When healthy this season, Watson has established himself as a key part of the Nuggets rotation, showing an improved offensive game and helping Denver hold down the fort in the absence of Nikola Jokic due to a knee injury.
He has the potential to significantly increase his value in the restricted free agent market this upcoming offseason, with some fans expecting him to take over Cameron Johnson's starting job amid his struggles.
The Nuggets are currently tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for fourth place in the Western Conference, and two games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the third seed.
Denver's game against the Suns on Tuesday night kicks off at 11:00 PM ET from Phoenix.
