Overview
- Cam Johnson left in the third quarter with a back/side issue after 19 minutes, was first listed as questionable, and later said he felt fine and sat once Denver pulled away.
- A fan video showed Johnson clutching his left ribs as he headed to the tunnel, a moment the TV broadcast missed, and he later returned to the bench with his torso wrapped but did not re‑enter.
- The forward finished with 6 points on 2-of-5 shooting with three assists, one rebound, one steal, and one block before the team ruled him out for the rest of the night.
- Denver’s forward group thinned further as Aaron Gordon was ruled out pregame with calf soreness, Spencer Jones exited with hamstring tightness, and Zeke Nnaji left with a hip impingement and was later seen on crutches.
- The Nuggets still beat Golden State 116-93 for a sixth straight win to reach 48-28, staying within a game of the Lakers, while Johnson’s earlier knee and ankle issues this season add to concern about his role and the team’s depth.