Dec 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Peyton Watson (8) shoots against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Nuggets' Peyton Watson Gives Promising Update After Injury Scare

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Dec 17, 2025 9:43 PM ET

The Denver Nuggets pulled out a huge overtime win over the Houston Rockets on Monday night, even though they were playing without three starters by the end of the night. With Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon still sidelined with injuries, the Nuggets cannot afford to suffer much more, but the team had to prevail after Peyton Watson left Monday's win just midway through the first quarter.

Watson played just six minutes on Monday night, finishing with five points before calling it a night with a new injury.

On Tuesday, Watson gave an optimistic update on his injury.

“I just got kneed or hit some way right in between my rib cage and my hip, right in my right trunk,” Watson told The Denver Post's Bennett Durando. “It was just something that stiffened up on me right away in the game. It swelled up. And it was really hard for me to move and run on it. So nothing wrong with it structurally, injury-wise. But it’s just something day (to) day, up to my tolerance of the pain.”

Watson confirms that there is no structural damage

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Of course, any injury is unfortunate, especially when it hurts as Watson explains, but he and the Nuggets are certainly lucky that there is no structural damage. There was certainly some concern about the severity of the injury after Watson left Monday's game and did not return, but his update is what fans wanted to hear.

The Nuggets have officially listed Watson as questionable for Thursday's game against the Orlando Magic with a right trunk contusion, giving some hope that he will not have to miss any more time than he already did in Monday's win.

The value of Watson in Denver

Since Watson started filling in for Braun in the starting lineup, he has averaged 14.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, shooting 52.9% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range.

PEYTON WATSON MY GOODNESS.

pic.twitter.com/b4sCpnzfXa
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 9, 2025

Not only has Watson been producing offensively since entering the starting lineup, but his value as a defender is even more significant. Especially when key defenders like Gordon and Braun are sidelined, the Nuggets lean on Watson to step up on that end of the court, and he has answered the bell.

It would be huge for the Nuggets if Watson does not have to miss any extra time with this trunk injury, and his update was certainly promising moving forward.