Huge Blow for Jokic and Denver: Key Rotation Guard Carried Off Floor With Leg Injury

Strawther got his leg pinned underneath him, twisting awkwardly upon landing during the third quarter. He stayed down on the hardwood wincing in pain as the Nuggets' medical staff rushed to his side. Once helped back to his feet, he appeared completely unable to put any weight on the injured leg as he was assisted off the floor.

The Nuggets officially ruled him out just minutes later without providing an immediate diagnosis. He is scheduled for an MRI on Thursday, head coach David Adelman told reporters in Los Angeles following the 122-110 defeat.

Strawther, 24, has been one of Denver's standout bench performers throughout preseason action. He entered Los Angeles averaging 14 points across the first three exhibition games—a prolific rate of 27.5 points per 36 minutes. He poured in another 11 points against the Clippers (hitting 3 of 7 from beyond the arc) before going down at Intuit Dome. Denver's second unit had grown increasingly reliant on his off-the-dribble shot creation alongside DeMar DeRozan, who sat out Wednesday's contest for rest.

This marks Strawther's fourth season in Denver after being selected 29th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Gonzaga. After spending his first three years moving in and out of the rotation, he entered this month competing for a definitive spot in Adelman's second unit. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard remains eligible to sign a contract extension with the Nuggets through Oct. 19; otherwise, he will head into next summer as a restricted free agent.

Christian Braun hasn't made much noise since the preseason opener, when simply watching him play and jump with confidence provided an encouraging sign. He is averaging just four points through four exhibition contests—an early indicator that, with Cam Johnson heavily involved in the half-court sets alongside a healthy Aaron Gordon, Braun's raw scoring numbers could take a step back this year.

That has never been a primary concern for Denver's fifth starter, but finding his groove as a floor-spacer is crucial. The guard has misfired on eight of his nine 3-point attempts this preseason—a microscopic sample size, but one he will look to render meaningless once the regular season gets underway.

Braun remained an effective screener and cutter in Denver's motion sets, but it was his all-around versatility in Year 3 that convinced the front office to lock him in as part of the core. Establishing himself as a reliable perimeter threat is the single most vital component to rediscovering that versatility after an injury-plagued campaign.

Denver's starters once again logged minutes through the first half in Los Angeles. They came out firing to build a quick 15-3 advantage, but lost focus in the second quarter as the bench's struggles bled into the starting unit's run. Jamal Murray's rim-attacking aggression was a clear highlight, as he racked up an efficient 14 points in his most complete half of the preseason.

Adelman shook up the first-half rotation with DeRozan sidelined. Cam Whitmore and Trevon Brazile saw extended run with both the starters and the second unit, while Alpha Diallo saw his role scaled back—a hint that the coaching staff has already seen enough from the defensive-minded wing.

Whitmore tallied 17 points and four rebounds. While he was occasionally loose with the basketball, he still shot an efficient 7-of-13 by continually attacking the paint and finishing at the rim.

Brazile outshined the rest of the pack, putting his diverse skill set on full display. He has showcased his ability to play both above the rim and on the perimeter this preseason, pulling it all together during a standout sequence on Wednesday. The rookie flushed home a baseline alley-oop from Nikola Jokic, buried a deep 3-pointer moments later, and followed that up on the defensive end by switching onto Clippers star Darius Garland to swat away a drive at the cup.

Should Spencer Jones remain unavailable for next Thursday's season opener, Brazile could find himself in line for an immediate, surprise role right out of the gate.