Why It is Not Time to Panic About the Denver Nuggets

Should we sound the alarms about the Denver Nuggets' recent struggles?

Feb 22, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) warms up before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets have been performing surprisingly poorly recently, as even with Nikola Jokic back from a month-long injury absence, they have lost more games than they have won. Since the start of February, the Nuggets are just 5-8, including a 1-7 record against current playoff teams.

The Nuggets have been struggling immensely, both in crunch time and against good opponents, but is it time to start worrying? They now sit in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 38-24 record, just one game ahead of the sixth-place Los Angeles Lakers and three games ahead of the seventh-place Phoenix Suns. With 20 games left, here is why it is not time to panic about the Nuggets just yet.

Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson are returning soon

Jan 31, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) reacts with forward Aaron Gordon (32) against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel reported that Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson are expected to return to action within the next week or so. Both forwards have been sidelined for multiple weeks due to hamstring strains, and their presence back in the lineup will be a complete game-changer.

Gordon is hands down Denver's third-most important player behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, and not having him since January 23 has been devastating. Gordon is the Nuggets' glue guy who holds their offense and defense together, so getting him back will immediately help the team see more success.

Watson was in the middle of his breakout season before going down with a hamstring strain, and he will likely come back as a super sixth man after his injury absence. Having a two-way wing with a revamped high-level offensive engine will be huge for the Nuggets.

The Nuggets have not seen their lineup at full strength since the first few weeks of the season, and they were incredible in that stretch. When fully healthy, the Nuggets had a top-three offensive rating and top-three defensive rating in the NBA, and while it is not a guarantee they get back to that level, it is reason to be optimistic about what is to come.

Highest TS% in a 45-point game this season:

105.8% — Aaron Gordon
95.6% — Jamal Murray
92.7% — Jamal Murray (tonight)
91.5% — Nikola Jokic pic.twitter.com/Kd7VUYciIt

— Real App (@realapp) March 3, 2026

Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are finding their rhythm

During their cold stretch, both Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray had some rough outings. A big part of Jokic's problems has been his injuries, as he was out for a month with a knee injury, and since returning, he has been dealing with a wrist issue as well.

However, both All-Stars have found their rhythm recently. Sure, it has not always resulted in wins, but Jokic and Murray have been on a tear. In his last three games, Murray is averaging 36.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists, while shooting 50.7% from the field and 53.1% from beyond the arc. Coming off a 45-point outing with eight three-pointers, Murray is getting hot at the right time.

Jamal Murray: One of the best scorers ever pic.twitter.com/bia0lpgX7U

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) March 3, 2026

In Jokic's last six games, he is averaging 28.4 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game, while shooting 48% from the field and 31.7% from three-point range. His efficiency is not off the charts like normal, but he is still making a big impact when on the floor.

Of course, we have seen better from Jokic, and we still expect him to be better than what he has been since returning from his injury, but the three-time MVP is certainly capable of leading this team to some big wins to end the season.

Even though there are some defensive concerns and recent crunch-time issues, the Nuggets have shown enough to assure that they are capable of competing for a championship. While it is understandable to worry about Denver's recent shortcomings, it is not yet time to sound the alarms.