Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson avoided the worst-case scenario. An MRI revealed only a bone bruise in his right knee, with no ligament or structural damage, after a frightening fourth-quarter injury in Denver’s 131-130 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Johnson went down in visible pain after landing awkwardly while contesting a rebound with less than 10 minutes remaining. Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg attacked the paint, missed a runner, and followed his shot. Johnson elevated as well, and the two collided while fighting for position. Johnson immediately grabbed his knee and stayed down.

While the injury occurred in the same right knee where Johnson tore his meniscus during the 2022-23 season with Phoenix, early testing offered relief. Charania reported that the MRI showed “no structural damage or major injury,” a key development for a Nuggets team already short-handed.

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Injury Still Forces Nuggets to Adjust

There is no firm timetable for Johnson’s return, but he is expected to miss at least a few games. Denver is already without Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle), leaving the Nuggets potentially down three regular starters entering their Christmas night matchup against Minnesota.

“It’s concerning,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said after the game. “It was not a fun sight to see, especially a guy that’s been trending so well, playing so well the last month. (He) has really found his way with our group. … We’ve had a lot of these moments this year. It’s deflating, but hopefully the news is better than it looked, because we know what Cam means to our team.”

Braun and Gordon are not expected to return before Denver departs on a seven-game road trip, further stressing the rotation.

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Why Johnson’s Absence Matters

In 27 games this season, Johnson has averaged 11.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from three. He has started every game he’s played for the 21–8 Nuggets, emerging as a reliable two-way connector alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

Without him, Denver will lean more heavily on wing depth pieces like Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones, and Tim Hardaway Jr., while Murray and Jokic may be forced to shoulder even more offensive responsibility.

The MRI brought relief. The timing still hurts. For a Nuggets team already navigating injuries, Johnson’s absence—however brief, is another test of depth and durability.