The Denver Nuggets have been dealing with injuries throughout most of the 2025-26 season, but have finally seen their entire lineup play together recently. However, despite having no players listed on their initial injury report for Sunday’s game against the Golden State Warriors, they are now down three key forwards.
Aaron Gordon was ruled out of Sunday’s game just an hour before tip-off, while Spencer Jones and Cam Johnson have both now left the game early due to injuries.
Spencer Jones leaves with hamstring tightness
Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
With Gordon a late scratch against the Warriors, Jones was expected to play a significant role against the Warriors. Especially with the team preferring to run a small-ball lineup whenever Nikola Jokic is off the floor, Jones has been a big part of Denver’s rotation.
Unfortunately, after just six minutes of action, Jones left the game with right hamstring tightness and was then listed as questionable to return. Since then, the Nuggets have officially announced that Jones’ night is finished.
Injury Update: Spencer Jones will not return to tonight’s game https://t.co/LNf8o9ZybE
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) March 30, 2026
Jones will end his night with just zero points, one rebound, one steal, and one block through six minutes, but for a player who makes most of his impact on the defensive end, his absence will be felt far past the stat sheet.
Cam Johnson suffers back injury
Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson (23) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Johnson has been playing some of his best basketball of the season recently, and in what feels like a must-win game against a shorthanded Warriors team, the Nuggets might have to close it out without him.
Johnson left Sunday’s game just four minutes into the second half and hobbled to the locker room in clear pain while holding his side. He was then listed as questionable to return due to back spasms.
Cam Johnson hobbles to the locker room holding his side 😳 pic.twitter.com/pNEGce9pEh
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) March 30, 2026
Johnson’s night will likely finish with six points, three assists, one steal, and one block through 19 minutes of action, and his three-point shooting will certainly be missed down the stretch if the Warriors are able to keep it close.
Playing without Gordon, Jones, and Johnson, the Nuggets have resorted to giving Zeke Nnaji some opportunities, even though he has logged just two total minutes in their last six games. Sure, it is not ideal for the Nuggets, but they are still more than capable of beating the Steph Curry-less Warriors with a shorthanded forward group.
The most unfortunate part of all of this is that it is the same story the Nuggets have seen all season. Even though they had no players listed on their injury report until about two hours before tip-off, they somehow went down three key forwards by the eight-minute mark of the third quarter.
With just six more games left in the regular season after their matchup with the Warriors, the Nuggets cannot afford to suffer many more injuries.
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