Almost nothing has slowed the Denver Nuggets this season.
Now, Denver must show it can persevere despite injuries to key players.
The Nuggets learned Friday that they will be without forward Christian Braun for approximately six weeks because of a sprained left ankle. Denver will play its first game without Braun when it takes on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night in Minneapolis.
Braun, 24, is averaging 11.4 points per game and is shooting 49.5% from the field.
The Nuggets also have ruled out Cameron Johnson (7.2 ppg) for Saturday’s game because of a right biceps strain. And their best player, Nikola Jokic, is listed as questionable due to a sprained left wrist.
That injury designation came as a surprise after Jokic scored 55 points on Wednesday to help Denver record its sixth straight victory, 130-116 over the Los Angeles Clippers. He added 12 rebounds and six assists.
“I think I saw everything,” Jokic said about the defensive assignments he faced. “I think it’s hard. We are really running a lot of plays for me, all kinds of different plays.”
The Timberwolves face fewer injury questions, but they will play on short rest against the streaking Nuggets.
Minnesota, which has won four straight games, will play on its home court for the second time in as many nights after it pulled away for a 124-110 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
Anthony Edwards scored 30 points to lead the Timberwolves. Julius Randle collected 26 points and 11 rebounds, and Naz Reid also had a double-double off the bench as he finished with 12 points and 12 boards.
Jaden McDaniels will try to bounce back from a trying game for the Timberwolves when he goes against the Nuggets.
He left the court several times because of injuries on Friday but returned each time. He was inadvertently hit in the face by Reid on one play, took a shot to the groin on another play, and slipped and did the splits on a drive toward the rim in the second half.
McDaniels kept his head down when a reporter asked how he felt after the game.
“I just want to go home, to be honest,” McDaniels said.
Teammates marveled at his toughness.
“He’s a soldier,” Edwards said. “‘Many men’ — you all heard that 50 Cent (song)? That’s Jaden.”
McDaniels and his teammates will not have much time to get back to full strength against Denver.
The teams already have met once this season, with the Nuggets winning 127-114 in Minneapolis on Oct. 27. Jokic notched a triple-double with 25 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists, and Jamal Murray dropped 43 points for Denver to lead all scorers.
McDaniels scored a team-high 25 points for Minnesota in its first matchup against Denver. Randle added 24 points and Reid chipped in 18 off the bench.
The Timberwolves will be without second-year guard Terrence Shannon Jr. in Saturday’s game. The team announced Friday that he will be re-evaluated in about a week as he recovers from a bone bruise on his left foot.
