David Adelman Addresses Nuggets' Multiple Injuries vs Warriors

Just as the Denver Nuggets had finally been able to get their rotation back to full health for this past week, it wouldn't take long before the lineup saw not one, but three of their pieces in the frontcourt go down with an injury against the Golden State Warriors–– that being Spencer Jones, Cameron Johnson, and Zeke Nnaji.

Jones left the game with a hamstring injury labeled as soreness. Johnson left early due to back spasms, and Nnaji reportedly left the arena on crutches after being labeled to have a hip impingement once he saw his night end early.

And while the status for either moving forward remains to be seen, Adelman was proud of what he saw from those on the bench who got a bigger opportunity in the wake of those injuries, which became even more important as Aaron Gordon was a late-scratch before tip-off.

"I mean, there was a timeout where I just looked back at my day and I woke up this morning thinking Aaron Gordon was going to start, he didn’t. Spence [Jones] goes out, Cam [Johnson] goes out," Adelman said. "I thought Zeke [Nnaji] was really impactful and then he went out. So, I gave the smalls a lot of credit. We had the smalls guarding [Kristaps] Porzingis and they were fighting him; they were trying to front him. That’s your only choice."

Mar 25, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman looks on in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The one name Adelman went on to highlight in particular: veteran big man Jonas Valanciunas, who's had a spotty place in the rotation as of late, yet showed up in a big way in Denver's home bout against the Warriors.

"I thought [Jonas Valanciunas] was ready to play like you hoped he would be," Adelman continued. "He’s a professional player like we talked about before the game. I’m hoping for good news tomorrow. Obviously, it’s nice to have these two days in between before the next one to prepare for Utah."

"It’s so funny that this year has been like that. It’s never a guard and a forward or a guard and a center, it’s like the whole group goes out. So, we’ll adjust as we need to to try to win the next game."

Nuggets' Injuries Will Be Worth Monitoring

The good news for the Nuggets is that they have extended rest to have at their disposal before they're back up and running against the Utah Jazz later this week.

In a best-case scenario, there's hope that each of the three injured Denver forwards, including Gordon, could be ready to go then after dealing with what appears to be nothing more than minor injuries against the Warriors.

However, the Nuggets are now past the two-week mark before their regular season comes to a close, and the real playoff action gets underway later this month. And for this roster to be at its best, they'll have to ensure their top pieces in the rotation, both starting and in the second unit, are at their closest to 100% once that time comes.

So, depending on what their status holds, don't be shocked if the Nuggets have to play it safe by resting their recently injured guys a few nights moving forward to ensure their long-term postseason availability.

Sign up for our free Denver Nuggets On SI newsletter, and get breaking Nuggets news delivered to your inbox daily!