The Denver Nuggets opened their playoff first-round tie against a familiar foe in the Minnesota Timberwolves and came on top with a hard-fought double-digit victory Saturday.
The Nuggets had to rely on their core stars in the 116-105 victory, with Jamal Murray scoring 30 points while Nikola Jokic finished with an astonishing triple-double.
After somewhat of an injury-plagued season, the team is nearly at full health entering the postseason, with one notable exception being 23-year-old guard Peyton Watson.
Peyton Watson Remains Sidelined for the Denver Nuggets
Denver was shorthanded due to injuries in various stretches of the regular season. Murray is the only core starter to play over 70 games, and he stopped at 75. Aaron Gordon played only 36 games while dealing with a right hamstring strain, and Jokic made 65 appearances.
The good news is that they entered Game 1 against Minnesota with that core healthy — the rotational pieces equally as well with just Watson being the one out.
According to a report from Bennett Durando from The Denver Post, Watson’s return timeline isn’t slated to be as soon as possible.
“Peyton Watson was the only inactive player on either team. As he continues to recover from a right hamstring strain that he reaggravated early this month, the growing sense around the team is that he’ll miss at least a couple more games, a source told The Post,” Durando wrote.
Head coach David Adelman had expressed hope earlier in the week that Watson and rising forward Spencer Jones could contribute, but Watson did not receive clearance in time for the series opener. Jones played nine minutes in Game 1.
The Nuggets may play it safe with Watson and keep him sidelined for the entire first-round series. It would represent a significant blow to their depth, especially if the series goes deeper.
But Gordon also suffered from recurring injuries, notably his hamstring, which is why caution will be at the back of Denver’s mind not to let a repeat occur with Watson, a player beginning to find his stride in the NBA.
Moving on From Latest Injury Update
Watson enjoyed a breakout season this year for the Nuggets. He played 54 games with 40 starts, which is more than double his previous career high for starts in a single season. He also averaged a career-high across the board while offering an added defensive presence for Adelman’s team.
The Nuggets closed the regular season on a strong note with the best form in the league. They won their final 12 games and took that momentum into the playoffs against the tough Timberwolves. This is the third playoff meeting between the two franchises in the last four years with both teams taking one series victory apiece.
The Nuggets take a 1-0 lead to Game 2, which is set for Monday, as they look to earn back-to-back wins before the series switches to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4.
If the series appears set to go longer, Denver could welcome back Watson into the rotation.
Nuggets Get Major Peyton Watson Injury Update After Game 1 Win vs Timberwolves