Watson is expected to miss at least four weeks with his Grade 2 right hamstring strain, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports Friday.
This is a devastating blow for the Nuggets, and the franchise has had some awful luck with injuries this season. Watson has had a breakout season in Denver, averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals while hitting 41.7 percent from beyond the arc. With Watson sidelined, there will be more opportunities for guys like Julian Strawther, Spencer Jones, Tim Hardaway and maybe even Zeke Nnaji.
Watson has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain, and he's expected to miss an extended amount of time, Tony Jones of The Athletic reports.
While Watson doesn't have an official timetable to return, it's worth noting that Aaron Gordon missed over a month when he suffered his initial hamstring injury, so Watson's timetable will likely be measured in weeks, not days. Julian Strawther, Spencer Jones, Tim Hardaway and Zeke Nnaji will attempt to help fill the void at the forward spots in Denver while Watson and Gordon are sidelined.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Leaves early with hamstring injury
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Watson (hamstring) left Wednesday's 134-127 double-overtime loss to the Knicks with 8:30 remaining in the fourth quarter and didn't return. He finished with 10 points (4-13 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block across 33 minutes.
Per Katy Winge of Altitude Sports, Watson is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his right hamstring as the Nuggets look to confirm the severity of his injury. If Watson is dealing with a strain rather than minor soreness, he'll most likely wind up missing the Nuggets' next game Saturday in Chicago, and potentially additional contests to follow. Watson has enjoyed a breakout fourth season for Denver and is averaging 17.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.9 three-pointers, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals in 33.4 minutes per game over 38 contests since he moved into a starting role in mid-November.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Exits game with hamstring injury
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Watson went to the locker room during the fourth quarter of Wednesday's game against the Knicks due to a right hamstring injury, Vic Lombardi of Altitude Sports reports.
Watson came up favoring his hamstring and was taken out of the game at the 8:30 mark of the fourth quarter. He has been taken to the locker room, where he will be evaluated by medical staff to determine whether Watson can return to Wednesday's game. Julian Strawther should see a slight uptick in minutes if Watson is unable to return.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Shines with team-high 29 points
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Watson produced 29 points (11-17 FG, 5-7 3Pt, 2-4 FT), five rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal over 37 minutes during Sunday's 121-111 loss to the Thunder.
Watson took care of business for the Nuggets, who are slowly easing Nikola Jokic back to action. Jokic attempted only nine shots in the game and left the heavy lifting to Watson, who drilled five three-pointers and contributed in every major category. Watson has posted totals over 30 points four times this season, and the UCLA product was only a point away from hitting that milestone again.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Strikes for 19 against Nets
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Watson ended Thursday's 107-103 win over Brooklyn with 19 points (7-15 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 3-6 FT), two rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 34 minutes.
The fourth-year forward continues to be a reliable secondary option in the Nuggets' offense, helping to fill the hole left by the absence of Nikola Jokic (knee). Watson has scored in double digits in 17 straight games dating back to Dec. 27, averaging 21.1 points, 5.5 boards, 2.5 assists, 2.1 threes, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals over that stretch.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Questionable to play Sunday
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Watson (ankles) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Grizzlies.
Watson is dealing with injuries to both of his ankles, which prevented him from playing in Friday's win against the Bucks. Julian Strawther would likely remain in the Nuggets' starting lineup if Watson is not cleared to return Sunday.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Won't play Friday
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Watson (ankles) has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Bucks.
Watson is dealing with a right ankle strain and a left ankle sprain, and he'll miss his first game since Dec. 20. His next opportunity to play will come Sunday against the Grizzlies. With the 23-year-old forward unavailable, Tim Hardaway, Spencer Jones, Hunter Tyson and Julian Strawther are candidates to see an uptick in minutes.
Watson (ankles) is questionable for Friday's game against the Bucks.
Watson is dealing with injuries to both of his ankles, so it's possible Denver will exercise caution on the second leg of its back-to-back set. If the versatile forward ends up sitting out, Tim Hardaway and Spencer Jones are options to enter the starting lineup Friday.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Strikes for 31 in New Orleans
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Watson had 31 points (11-16 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 8-9 FT), seven rebounds, five assists, one block and two steals across 39 minutes during Tuesday's 122-116 win over the Pelicans.
Fresh off being named the Western Conference Player of the Week, Watson scored 30-plus points for the second time in the last four games and recorded at least one steal, one block and one three-pointer for the fourth time in the last five contests. The fourth-year forward has kicked his production into high gear since Christmas while the Nuggets have dealt with absences from Nikola Jokic (knee), Christian Braun (ankle), Cameron Johnson (knee) and Aaron Gordon (hamstring). Over the last 10 games, Watson has averaged 22.3 points, 6.2 boards, 2.7 assists, 2.0 threes, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in 36.5 minutes while shooting 51.3 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from beyond the arc.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Strong line in win
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Watson recorded 19 points (7-19 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), eight rebounds, six assists and two blocks across 39 minutes during Sunday's 108-104 win over the Bucks.
Watson's ascension continued Sunday with another terrific two-way showing. The Nuggets have a ton of injuries right now, and that's allowed Watson to take on a larger role offensively. Over his last eight games, he's averaging 22.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.1 blocks and 2.3 three-pointers on 48.1 percent shooting from the field.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Breakout season continues
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Watson registered 25 points (9-19 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 5-7 FT), 11 rebounds, four assists, one block and three steals over 34 minutes during Friday's 110-87 loss to Atlanta.
Watson continues to go from strength to strength, scoring at least 20 points for the sixth straight game while also recording his second double-double of the season. Injuries to other players opened up an opportunity for Watson, and since that time, he has not looked back. In four games over the past week, he has averaged 25.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.8 three-pointers and 2.8 combined steals-plus-blocks.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Drains 30 points vs. Boston
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Watson registered 30 points (10-15 FG, 6-7 3Pt, 4-8 FT), six rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal over 37 minutes during the Nuggets' 114-110 win over the Celtics on Wednesday.
It was another impressive performance from Watson, who led the Nuggets in scoring and finished with his most points in a game since Nov. 19 against the Pelicans (32). Watson has scored at least 21 points in five straight games, and over that span he has averaged 24.4 points on 51.8 percent shooting along with 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.4 threes, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks over 37.3 minutes per game. He should continue to serve in an expanded role on offense for as long as Nikola Jokic (knee) is sidelined.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Erupts for 24 points
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Watson registered 24 points (7-13 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 8-10 FT), seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal across 44 minutes during Monday's 125-124 overtime win over the 76ers.
With Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, Tim Hardaway and Christian Braun all getting the night off for maintenance during the second leg of this back-to-back set, Watson was cast in an unfamiliar role with a ton of usage. He certainly delivered, combining with Jalen Pickett to put up 53 points as the Nuggets shocked the 76ers. Watson is trending up with averages of 23.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 three-pointers over his last four games.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Stays hot with 23 points
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Watson supplied 23 points (8-14 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 6-7 FT), four rebounds, two assists and one block in 29 minutes during Sunday's 127-115 loss to Brooklyn.
Watson is certainly heating up, with Sunday's performance being his third consecutive game with at least 20 points. The 23-year-old forward should continue to play big minutes in the Nuggets' starting lineup for as long as Cameron Johnson (knee) and Nikola Jokic (knee) are sidelined. For the campaign, Watson has averaged 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks in 31.1 minutes per contest across 23 games as a starter.
Watson closed with 24 points (9-19 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 5-7 FT), eight rebounds and two steals in 36 minutes during Wednesday's 106-103 victory over the Raptors.
Watson struggled from beyond the arc but still managed to finish as the Nuggets' leading scorer Wednesday, with 14 of his 24 points coming in the second quarter. It was the fifth time he scored 20-plus points in a game this season and his seventh multi-steal game. He'll wrap up the month of December having averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.1 threes, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks over 29.6 minutes per game.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Scores 11 points
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Watson posted 11 points (4-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-4 FT), two rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 32 minutes during Monday's 147-123 loss to Miami.
Nikola Jokic left this game early and is expected to miss at least four weeks with a hyperextended left knee. The Nuggets are already thin in the frontcourt, and it's likely that Watson is asked to step up offensively. Additionally, his workloads should be even more secure in the short term.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Good to go vs. Dallas
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Watson (lower body) is available for Tuesday's game against the Mavericks.
Watson has been cleared to play in a second consecutive game while managing a right trunk contusion. The third-year forward has been a permanent member in the Nuggets' starting lineup since Nov. 15, and over his last 15 outings he has averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 threes and 1.1 blocks over 30.1 minutes per game.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Strong performance in return
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Watson closed Monday's 135-112 victory over Utah with 20 points (7-9 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 3-4 FT), three rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 28 minutes.
Watson returned to action after missing the past two games due to a trunk injury. In what was clearly a favorable matchup, Watson delivered an efficient 20 points, continuing his breakout season. Both Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) remain sidelined, making Watson an intriguing addition to any standard league roster.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Chance to play Saturday
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Watson (side) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Rockets.
Watson was unable to play against the Magic on Thursday due to a right trunk contusion, but he may limit his absence to one game if he's cleared to return Saturday. He was in the Nuggets' starting lineup in the 14 games prior to Thursday's contest, and over that span he averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.6 threes and 1.1 blocks over 30.2 minutes per game.
