Cam Johnson Latest Star to Fall to Injury Bug
DENVER – The air inside Ball Arena grew heavy in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night, and not just because of the scoreboard. In a season where the Denver Nuggets have seemingly spent as much time reading MRI results as they have game plans, the team watched yet another key starter limp off the floor.
Cam Johnson, the sharpshooting wing who has become a stabilizing force for the franchise this season, exited the game against the Dallas Mavericks with a right knee injury. For a Nuggets squad already navigating a minefield of health issues, the sight of Johnson down on the hardwood was a cruel twist of fate they could ill afford.
The incident occurred late in the contest as Johnson rose to secure a rebound. The landing was awkward, the reaction immediate. He remained on the floor for a moment that likely felt like an eternity for head coach Michael Malone, before eventually being helped to the locker room.
The team officially labeled the injury a “right knee sprain,” initially listing him as questionable to return before ruling him out for the remainder of the game. If there is a silver lining to be found in the grey clouds hovering over Denver, it is that Johnson was able to walk off the court under his own power, albeit gingerly. It offered a glimmer of hope that the damage might not be season-altering, even if the immediate future looks murky.
Context makes this injury particularly stinging. Johnson isn’t just another player; he has been the glue holding a fractured lineup together. With starters Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon already sidelined for weeks, Johnson had stepped up admirably. After a cold start to his Nuggets tenure, he found his rhythm, averaging 11.8 points and shooting a blistering 42.3% from deep over 27 games.
Losing Johnson means Denver is potentially down three starters. It forces the spotlight onto a bench that is rapidly running out of shadows to hide in. The burden now shifts heavily to the likes of Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones, and veteran Tim Hardaway Jr. to fill the void on the wing. Additionally, fan-favorite Bruce Brown and youngster Julian Strawther will be asked to punch above their weight class to keep the offense afloat.
“Right knee sprain.” – Denver Nuggets Official Injury Report
While brief, the designation carries significant weight. It rules out a fracture but leaves the door open to a wide range of recovery timelines. The ambiguity forces the team into a waiting game, hoping the diagnosis leans closer to “day-to-day” than “week-to-week.”
The Nuggets are a team resilient by nature, but their depth is being tested to its absolute limit. As they await further evaluation on Johnson’s knee, the reality is stark: they must find a way to win with a patchwork rotation, or risk sliding down the standings in a ruthless Western Conference. The next few days will be critical, not just for Johnson, but for the trajectory of Denver’s season.
