Nuggets Have One Main Weakness Despite Historic Season Start

Riding a three-game winning streak, the Denver Nuggets have improved to 17-6 in their 2025-26 campaign, setting a new franchise record for their best 23-game start to a season. This start has landed the Nuggets in second place in ESPN's latest power rankings, but there is still one significant weakness to monitor.

The Nuggets have been playing without both Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun recently, raising the question of how significant the team's health concerns are. ESPN's Tim MacMahon believes Denver's "biggest weakness" is their health, and he could be spot on.

Nuggets have a health concern

Heading into Thursday's matchup with the Sacramento Kings, Gordon is set to miss his ninth consecutive game, while Braun will miss his 13th straight. Sure, the Nuggets are still a favorable 6-3 when both Braun and Gordon are sidelined, but they have taken a significant hit compared to when they were healthy.

The Nuggets are 8-2 when Braun and Gordon are in the lineup, and they produced a top-five defensive rating and offensive rating in the NBA in that span. Since then, Denver's defense has taken a major hit. In their last eight games, the Nuggets have the league's second-worst defensive rating (124.1), and they are lucky that they are producing the second-best offensive rating (128.7) to keep them afloat.

Jan 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) reacts with guard Christian Braun (0) after a play in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Ball Arena. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

While Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones have been reliable replacements in their starting lineup, it is clear that the Nuggets are a completely different team with Gordon and Braun sidelined.

"The Nuggets just need to get whole. Denver is 10-3 with Aaron Gordon in the lineup and 4-3 without him. Gordon, who is recovering from a Grade 2 hamstring strain, will be sidelined until at least late December and likely longer. The same is true for Christian Braun, who has been out since mid-November with a sprained ankle," MacMahon wrote.

"The issue isn't only finding ways to win without two starters. The Nuggets have to be careful about wearing down Nikola Jokic, who is averaging 35.8 minutes per game since Braun was injured. That is only slightly below the career-high 36.7 minutes Jokic averaged last season, when the Nuggets needed to shut him down for a stretch in March because of all his bumps and bruises."

To make matters worse, Nuggets head coach David Adelman was not very confident in inking a return date for either Braun or Gordon, saying he would "imagine that they celebrate the holiday without playing," suggesting that neither will return until at least after Christmas.

Of course, the Nuggets are managing without Braun and Gordon on the floor, but it is clear that the sooner they get them back in action, the better.

Nuggets have a health concern

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