Nuggets small forward Peyton Watson out long term with a hamstring injury

Peyton Watson (YouTube)

The Denver Nuggets will be without small forward Peyton Watson of Beverly Hills, California for the foreseeable future. According to Rogers Sportsnet on Friday, Watson strained his right hamstring in a 134-127 double overtime loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday, and is projected to be gone a minimum of one month. At that time Watson will be re-evaluated.

Watson is having a career season with the Nuggets. He is averaging career highs in points per game (14.9), rebounds per game (4.9), assists per game (two), steals per game (one), field goal percentage (.496), and free throw percentage (.727). Watson also has 1.2 blocks per game and a three point percentage of .417.

Watson’s most notable game came on January 22 in a 107-97 Nuggets win over the Washington Wizards. Watson had a career-high 35 points. He made 10 of 16 field goal attempts, nine of 10 free throws, and six of eight three point attempts.

Watson has also been given more of an opportunity this season. He has started in 39 of the Nuggets’s 49 games. In the previous three seasons, Watson had started only 24 of 171 games. One reason why Watson has seen more action is because of all of the injuries the Nuggets have had this season. Cameron Johnson has not played since December 23 with a knee injury, and Nikola Jokic was out one month with a hyperextended knee.

The Nuggets have now lost three straight games, but remain in third place in the Western Conference at 33 wins and 19 losses for a winning percentage of .635. During the streak they also lost 121-111 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 1, and 124-121 to the Detroit Pistons on February 3.