Watson registered 24 points (7-13 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 8-10 FT), seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal across 44 minutes during Monday's 125-124 overtime win over the 76ers.
With Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, Tim Hardaway and Christian Braun all getting the night off for maintenance during the second leg of this back-to-back set, Watson was cast in an unfamiliar role with a ton of usage. He certainly delivered, combining with Jalen Pickett to put up 53 points as the Nuggets shocked the 76ers. Watson is trending up with averages of 23.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 three-pointers over his last four games.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Stays hot with 23 points
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Watson supplied 23 points (8-14 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 6-7 FT), four rebounds, two assists and one block in 29 minutes during Sunday's 127-115 loss to Brooklyn.
Watson is certainly heating up, with Sunday's performance being his third consecutive game with at least 20 points. The 23-year-old forward should continue to play big minutes in the Nuggets' starting lineup for as long as Cameron Johnson (knee) and Nikola Jokic (knee) are sidelined. For the campaign, Watson has averaged 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks in 31.1 minutes per contest across 23 games as a starter.
Watson closed with 24 points (9-19 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 5-7 FT), eight rebounds and two steals in 36 minutes during Wednesday's 106-103 victory over the Raptors.
Watson struggled from beyond the arc but still managed to finish as the Nuggets' leading scorer Wednesday, with 14 of his 24 points coming in the second quarter. It was the fifth time he scored 20-plus points in a game this season and his seventh multi-steal game. He'll wrap up the month of December having averaged 12.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.1 threes, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks over 29.6 minutes per game.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Scores 11 points
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Watson posted 11 points (4-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-4 FT), two rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 32 minutes during Monday's 147-123 loss to Miami.
Nikola Jokic left this game early and is expected to miss at least four weeks with a hyperextended left knee. The Nuggets are already thin in the frontcourt, and it's likely that Watson is asked to step up offensively. Additionally, his workloads should be even more secure in the short term.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Good to go vs. Dallas
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Watson (lower body) is available for Tuesday's game against the Mavericks.
Watson has been cleared to play in a second consecutive game while managing a right trunk contusion. The third-year forward has been a permanent member in the Nuggets' starting lineup since Nov. 15, and over his last 15 outings he has averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 threes and 1.1 blocks over 30.1 minutes per game.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Probable for Tuesday
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Watson is probable for Tuesday's game against the Mavericks with a right trunk contusion.
Watson was able to play through this injury Monday against the Jazz, finishing with 20 points (7-9 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 3-4 FT), three rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 28 minutes. For now, the Nuggets expect him to push through the pain once again.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Strong performance in return
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Watson closed Monday's 135-112 victory over Utah with 20 points (7-9 FG, 3-4 3Pt, 3-4 FT), three rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal across 28 minutes.
Watson returned to action after missing the past two games due to a trunk injury. In what was clearly a favorable matchup, Watson delivered an efficient 20 points, continuing his breakout season. Both Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) remain sidelined, making Watson an intriguing addition to any standard league roster.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Chance to play Saturday
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Watson (side) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Rockets.
Watson was unable to play against the Magic on Thursday due to a right trunk contusion, but he may limit his absence to one game if he's cleared to return Saturday. He was in the Nuggets' starting lineup in the 14 games prior to Thursday's contest, and over that span he averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.6 threes and 1.1 blocks over 30.2 minutes per game.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Not playing Thursday
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Watson (side) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Magic.
Watson is dealing with a right trunk contusion, which will result in him missing his first game of the season. He has started in each of the Nuggets' last 14 games, so his absence opens the door for Tim Hardaway or Zeke Nnaji to enter Denver's starting lineup. Watson's next opportunity to play is Saturday against the Rockets.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Questionable for Thursday
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Watson (side) is questionable for Thursday's game versus the Magic.
Watson suffered a right trunk contusion during Monday's win over Houston and was unable to return, which resulted in Tim Hardaway starting the second half. However, Hardaway is also questionable for Thursday's game with an illness, so if both these guys are out, Bruce Brown could receive major minutes as a starter. Check back for another update on Watson closer to Thursday's tip.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Fails to return Monday
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Watson (side) didn't return to Monday's game against the Rockets. He finished the night with five points (2-4 FG, 1-2 3Pt) and one steal in six minutes before exiting.
Watson was diagnosed with a right trunk contusion and never returned after departing during the first half. Head coach David Adelman stated after the game that Watson is dealing with a stinger, and the injury shouldn't cause a long-term absence, per Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. Watson can be considered day-to-day until further notice.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Questionable to return
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Watson is questionable to return to Monday's game against the Rockets due to a right trunk contusion.
Watson made his way back to the bench shortly after being evaluated in the locker room. However, he didn't appear to be moving well, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Goes for 21 points
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Watson ended Thursday's 136-105 victory over Sacramento with 21 points (7-10 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 5-8 FT), two rebounds and one assist over 23 minutes.
Watson, along with Cameron Johnson (16 points), were the two players who stepped up for the Nuggets in a game where Jamal Murray had an outing to forget (11 points, 4-13 FG). Watson continues to produce in a starting role, and while he's not going to carry the team offensively, he's done a decent job filling in for the injured Aaron Gordon (hamstring). Watson is averaging 14.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 blocks per game over his last nine appearances.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Chips in 15 points in loss
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Watson ended Monday's 131-121 loss to the Mavericks with 15 points (7-14 FG, 1-4 3Pt), five rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 35 minutes.
While he struggled from beyond the arc, Watson still finished as Denver's third-leading scorer. The 23-year-old forward has scored in double figures in five straight games, grabbing at least five boards in each of them. He also tied his season-high mark in blocks Monday. Watson has been a mainstay in the starting lineup of late and should remain in the first unit with Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) sidelined.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Flirts with double-double
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Watson totaled nine points (3-5 FG, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal across 34 minutes during Friday's 112-109 victory over the Rockets.
Watson played at least 34 minutes for the fourth straight game, grabbing double-digit rebounds for the second time in succession. Although he wasn't able to repeat his 32-point performance from earlier in the week, it appears as though Watson is locked in as a key member of the starting lineup, at least for the foreseeable future. Aaron Gordon is expected to miss time after leaving Friday's game due to an ongoing hamstring injury, only solidifying Watson's spot in the rotation.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Posts career highs in win
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Watson recorded 32 points (13-19 FG, 5-9 3Pt, 1-1 FT), 12 rebounds, three assists and one block across 34 minutes in Wednesday's 125-118 win over the Pelicans.
Watson got the starting nod for the third consecutive game and erupted for a game- and career-high mark in points. The fourth-year forward also grabbed a game- and career-best 12 rebounds en route to his first double-double of the season. The 23-year-old is expected to continue seeing an increased role with Christian Braun (ankle) sidelined for an extended period.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Quiet in 22 minutes
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Watson posted two points (1-4 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 0-2 FT), two rebounds, one assist and one block across 22 minutes during Wednesday's 130-116 victory over the Clippers.
Watson has been a low-end fantasy contributor to open the season with 6.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.0 blocks and 0.4 three-pointers in 21.1 minutes per game. Christian Braun (ankle) and Cameron Johnson (arm) suffered injuries during Wednesday's game and didn't return, making Watson a player to monitor in case those injuries linger. Watson's steal and block rates give him a nice floor when the minutes are there.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Leads Denver with 15 points
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Watson registered 15 points (5-11 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT), six rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block over 25 minutes during the Nuggets' 94-91 preseason loss to the Thunder on Friday.
Watson made his second start of the preseason Friday due to the absence of Aaron Gordon (rest). Watson took advantage of the additional playing time as he led the Nuggets in points while finishing tied with Cameron Johnson for most rebounds and assists. Watson came off the bench for the majority of the 2024-25 season but would be the top option to enter the starting lineup if Gordon were to ever miss time during the regular season.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Starting sans Gordon
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Watson will start in Friday's preseason game against the Thunder, Katy Winge of Altitude Sports reports.
With Aaron Gordon (rest) sitting out Friday's preseason finale, Watson will enter the starting five. The 23-year-old forward is expected to operate as Gordon's primary backup in the 2025-26 campaign.
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Nuggets' Peyton Watson: Plays 14 minutes in Game 2
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Watson produced three points (1-2 FG, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, one assist and one steal over 14 minutes during Monday's 105-102 loss to the Clippers in Game 2 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Watson has now played 14 minutes in two straight postseason games. Denver's rotation is extremely tight right now, and Watson is second only to Russell Westbrook in terms of minutes played with the second unit.
