Nuggets Get Good Injury News on Peyton Watson, Hardaway Jr.

In the midst of the Denver Nuggets' 130-117 victory over the Utah Jazz to make for their seventh win in a row, as well as a second-straight season series sweep against the Jazz in particular, it wouldn't be a night without a couple of worrisome injuries to two of the Nuggets' key rotational pieces.

Both Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr. left in the middle of the first half with hamstring and knee injuries, respectively, and both wouldn't end up returning for what would be a convincing road win over the Jazz.

Considering how the Nuggets' season has gone thus far with excessive injury woes, seeing both guys leave the game certainly could've sparked a scare within fans simply hoping to see Denver's rotation at full health for an extended period of time. But thankfully, it seems like the Nuggets avoided any serious injury to either player.

Nuggets head coach David Adelman spoke after the game about the intel he had on both Watson and Hardaway Jr.'s injuries, noting both issues as just discomfort.

"It's just every night, it seems like," Adelman said of the Nuggets' injuries. "You know, trying to get Peyton [Watson] a rhythm. As far as I know, as of now, it was just discomfort."

"Tim [Hardaway], same thing, just didn't feel right after some impact, so they didn't play in the second half. It's just been what the season's been. We just change the rotation and keep it moving, luckily enough, guys played well tonight to finish the game."

Nuggets' Peyton Watson, Hardaway Jr. Were Dealing With Discomfort

Of course, for any stretch that the Nuggets aren't able to be at full capacity up and down the rotation isn't ideal being so close to the postseason. But to know that both guys likely aren't dealing with any severe issues that could restrict their availability moving forward into what remains of the regular season is a strong sign.

Especially as, entering the night, the Nuggets were already down Spencer Jones with a hamstring injury and Zeke Nnaji with a hip injury, seeing any more of their depth taken out comes as a less than ideal time; seemingly as all of Denver's injuries have gone throughout an unlucky season.

However, if Adelman's suspicions are correct, it could allow for both Watson and Hardaway Jr. to return to the lineup pretty quickly, if not as soon as their next meeting against the San Antonio Spurs, which has a two-day buffer of rest in between.

Mar 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

If either isn't totally back to 100% by then, the Nuggets could also decide to play things cautiously in an effort to make sure they're at full health for the playoff stretch that lies ahead in just under two weeks.

In the event that either Watson or Hardaway Jr. are out to deplete the Nuggets' wing depth for any stretch of time, expect to see more opportunities available for both Julian Strawther, who saw nine minutes against the Jazz with both wings out, as well as Bruce Brown, who logged 27 minutes himself in Salt Lake City.

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