Denver, CO
Two Key Nuggets Players Get Injured During Jazz Game
Is this team cursed? The Denver Nuggets have been dealing with significant injuries throughout the entire 2025-26 season, and in game 77, they still cannot catch a break.
The Nuggets are battling the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night, looking to extend their winning streak to seven games. However, in the first half, both Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr. exited with injuries.
Watson left Wednesday’s matchup due to right hamstring tightness, and Hardaway Jr. left with left knee soreness, as both key bench players were announced questionable to return.
Injury Update:
Peyton Watson (Right Hamstring Tightness) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (Left Knee Soreness) are both questionable to return to tonight’s game
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 2, 2026
Two more key injuries for Denver
Watson has been dealing with a hamstring injury for the past two months, and after returning from a 19-game absence because of it, it is obviously still bothering him. However, Watson’s minute restriction was expected to ramp up against the Jazz, suggesting his condition was improving, but he seems to have suffered a setback.
Hardaway Jr., on the other hand, has been one of Denver’s healthiest players this season. Only Hardaway Jr., Bruce Brown, and Jamal Murray have played in 70+ games this season, but the star sixth man got banged up on Wednesday night.
The Nuggets cannot seem to stay healthy, but things were looking up when they finally got their entire rotation healthy at the same time last week. Now, they have suffered multiple injuries in back-to-back games, and with under two weeks left in the regular season, it could not be a worse time for the injury bug to strike again.
The rise of Watson
Watson has been Denver’s most surprising player this season, bursting onto the scene as a rising star. Of course, the 23-year-old wing has shown promise in the past, but he put it to the test this season, making the most of his opportunities while most of the Nuggets roster was banged up.
Before reaggravating his injury on Wednesday, Watson had six points through nine minutes of action on 3-5 shooting from the field. The standout wing has been streaky since returning from injury, so these last handful of regular season games are crucial for him to find a rhythm before the playoffs.
If the Nuggets want to make a deep playoff run, Watson’s two-way impact will be a legitimate x-factor, so the team is undoubtedly hoping that he is feeling fine after leaving Wednesday’s game.
Hardaway Jr.’s impact
Despite being on a veteran minimum contract, Hardaway Jr. has been one of Denver’s most important players this season, as well as one of the NBA’s top sixth men.
Hardaway Jr.’s scoring off the bench has been crucial for the Nuggets, averaging 13.8 points per game while shooting 41% from three-point range. He is tied with Jamal Murray for the most games by a Nugget this season with four or more three-pointers, being one of Denver’s steadiest threats from beyond the arc.
Similar to Watson, if the Nuggets want to have a deep playoff run, Hardaway Jr.’s hot hand off the bench will be key. Keeping both of these guys healthy will be huge for the Nuggets, so they are certainly hoping neither injury is anything serious.
Firefighters say a car crash was the cause of a large fire that broke out north of the Denver International Airport on Saturday afternoon.
The Brighton Fire Rescue District says a vehicle was traveling through the area of E. 120th Avenue and N. Watkins Road around 2 p.m. when it crashed. Fortunately, the people inside the vehicle did not suffer serious injuries, but the fire department says the vehicle’s catalytic converter caught the nearby grass on fire.
The 120 Fire quickly grew, and firefighters responded with engines, brush trucks and water tenders to attack it from multiple sides. Multiple agencies responded to assist as the winds continued to push the fire across the grassland.
It covered around 237 acres by the time firefighters brought it under control around 3:30 p.m. BFRD says firefighters continued to put out hotspots and monitor a large cottonwood tree that was smoldering nearly 30 feet up the trunk.
With Independence Day approaching, the fire rescue district shared a reminder that a single spark can ignite a fast-moving grass fire. They added that aerial fireworks are illegal in Brighton and pose a serious fire risk in the current conditions.
Denver, CO
Even without extension talks, Nikola Jokic has reiterated his desire to stay long-term in Denver
Despite the possibility of Nikola Jokic holding off on extension talks for now, per The Stein Line, Jokic has reiterated a desire to stay long-term in Denver in recent talks, league sources told HoopsHype. If Jokic waits until next summer, he’s eligible for an additional year on an extension, which should be noted.
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