Hernangomez (abdoment) was ruled out for Saturday's game against the Cavaliers.
Hernangomez was considered questionable with the abdominal strain but won't be able to play Saturday. The 23-year-old's next chance to take the floor will be Wednesday at Utah, as the exact severity of the abdominal issue remains unclear.
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Nuggets' Isaiah Thomas: February return in question
Rotowire
Jan 20, 2019
Coach Michael Malone has pushed back on reports that suggested Thomas (hip) is expected back in mid-February, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic reports. When asked about the situation, coach Malone responded, "Don't believe everything you read. I don't know where these leaks come from, but there is no timetable. There's nothing that's been set about February this, that or the other thing."
The report that Thomas is expected back in mid-February came Friday per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Coach Malone's comments don't rule out the possibility of a return then, but it appears things are less set in stone than initially thought. The situation may continue to develop.
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Nuggets' Gary Harris: Still on minutes limit
Rotowire
9M ago
Harris will remain on a "18-20ish" minute restriction for Saturday's game against the Cavaliers, Chris Dempsey of the Nuggets' official site reports.
Saturday marks Harris' second game back from a hamstring injury, and he played 19 minutes Thursday against Chicago, posting 14 points, two assists and one rebound. He'll continue to be brought back slowly.
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Nuggets' Will Barton: Remains on minutes restriction
Rotowire
9M ago
Barton is still on an "18-20ish" minute restriction for Saturday's matchup against the Cavaliers, Chris Dempsey of the Nuggets' official site reports.
Barton has played three games since his return from an extended absence as a result of a groin injury. Still, it seems coach Michael Malone and the medical staff wants to bring Barton along slowly. That's a liberty the Nuggets can take, as Denver is 30-14 heading into Saturday's action.
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Nuggets' Will Barton: Back with team at shootaround
Rotowire
6H ago
Barton went through shootaround Saturday morning after missing Thursday's game for personal reasons, Harrison Wind of BSN Denver reports.
Barton was removed from the injury report on Friday so his status was never in much doubt, but his presence at shootaround should confirm that he'll be back to availability for Saturday's matchup with the Cavs. Prior to Thursday, Barton played 23 minutes in Tuesday's loss to Golden State -- his most since returning from a lengthy injury layoff. After shootaround, Barton spoke to Wind about getting back to his pre-injury form. "I'm getting there," Barton said. "I've just got to keep finding my rhythm and my timing. Physically, I feel alright." Barton went on to state that he believes he's ready to play without restriction.
Nuggets' Isaiah Thomas: Could return in mid-February
Rotowire
22H ago
The Nuggets are hopeful that Thomas (hip) may be able to make his season debut Feb. 11 against the Heat or Feb. 13 against the Kings, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
The Nuggets are expressing optimism that Thomas -- sidelined since March after undergoing right hip surgery -- will return during Denver's first game after the All-Star break at the latest, but he apparently still has a chance at seeing action shortly before the first half ends. Thomas has yet to play in full 5-on-5 scrimmages, which marks the final step in his recovery. It's unclear what his role on the Nuggets might look like once he's back in action, as the Nuggets have rolled to a 30-14 record without him and have received meaningful contributions from young backcourt players Malik Beasley and Monte Morris. Jamal Murray, Gary Harris and Will Barton are also locked in as high-minute regulars at either guard spot.
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Nuggets' Juancho Hernangomez: On injury report for Saturday
Rotowire
1D ago
Hernangomez is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Cavaliers due to an abdominal strain, T.J. McBride of MileHighSports.com reports.
Reports surfaced last week that Hernangomez was dealing with some discomfort, and it's possible now that discomfort has grown to a decently concerning level. The exact severity is unclear, but the Nuggets should provide another update on Hernangomez at some point after shootaround Saturday.
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Nuggets' Will Barton: Off injury report
Rotowire
1D ago
Barton (personal) is not on the injury report for Saturday's game against the Cavaliers, T.J. McBride of MileHighSports.com reports.
Barton was unavailable for Thursday's game against the Bulls due to a personal issue, but his absence from the team won't extend beyond that. Expect Barton to be back to playing his regular role off the bench Saturday.
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Nuggets' Malik Beasley: Offers rare impact on glass
Rotowire
1D ago
Beasley finished with 13 points (5-7 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 1-1 FT), nine rebounds and one assist across 34 minutes Thursday in the Nuggets' 135-105 win over the Bulls.
The Nuggets had the game in hand by the third quarter, but Beasley didn't see his playing time suffer as coach Michael Malone only chose to restrict the minutes of Denver's more-established starters. As per usual, Beasley made his mark from outside by drilling two of the Nuggets' season-high 20 treys, but the rebounding production was more of a surprise from the shooting guard, who is averaging just 2.6 boards in 22.9 minutes per game on the season. With that in mind, it's probably best to view Beasley's output in the category Thursday as an outlier, and he could see his overall production suffer in future contests now that Gary Harris is back in action after missing the past five games with a hamstring injury. Will Barton will also be in the mix for minutes on the wing as soon as Saturday against the Cavaliers after sitting out versus Chicago due to a personal matter.
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Nuggets' Jamal Murray: Drills seven treys
Rotowire
1D ago
Murray compiled 25 points (8-16 FG, 7-11 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five assists and two rebounds across 29 minutes Thursday in the Nuggets' 135-105 victory over the Bulls.
Murray almost single-handedly turned the Nuggets' already comfortable halftime advantage into an even more massive lead, scoring 22 of the Nuggets' 42 third-quarter points on the strength of his hot shooting from the outside. The third-year guard has now cleared the 20-point mark in four of his last five outings while chipping in averages of 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.2 triples.
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Nuggets' Gary Harris: Plays off bench in return
Rotowire
1D ago
Harris (hamstring) logged 19 minutes and generated 14 points (6-11 FG, 2-3 3Pt), two assists and one rebound Thursday in the Nuggets' 135-105 win over the Bulls.
Harris' latest setback with his hamstring resulted in a five-game absence, so it's not surprising that he returned to action Thursday in a limited role off the bench. The Michigan State product generally fared well during his time on the court, but it could take several games before he unseats either Malik Beasley or Torrey Craig in the starting five and reclaims a 30-plus-minute role. That reality could make him a dicey lineup option next week, when the Nuggets are scheduled to play only three games.
Barton (personal) isn't available for Thursday's game against the Bulls.
Barton departed Thursday morning's shootaround due to a personal issue, and he'll be held out of the game as a result. The details surrounding Barton's status remain murky, but more information on his availability moving forward should come to light in the near future.
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Nuggets' Gary Harris: Cleared to play
Rotowire
2D ago
Harris (hamstring) is available for Thursday's game against Chicago.
After a five-game absence due to a hamstring injury, Harris will be ready to take the court in what figures to be a favorable matchup for the Nuggets. He figures to rejoin the starting lineup, although Denver may hold him to a minutes limit to prevent further injury. Malik Beasley would shift back to a bench role if Harris does in fact return to the starting five.
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Nuggets' Thomas Welsh: Transfered to G League
Rotowire
2D ago
Welsh was assigned to the Iowa Wolves of the G League on Thursday, Harrison Wind of BSNDenver.com reports.
Welsh got to see some playing time Tuesday given the blowout nature of the Nuggets' outing with the Warriors, and the rookie scored one point in seven minutes. Now, with the Wolves scheduled to play three games over the next five days, Welsh should get an opportunity to see plenty of run in the G League.
Barton was excused from Thursday's shootaround due to personal reasons, Harrison Wind of BSNDenver.com reports.
Specifics regarding Barton's absence remain unclear, as does his status for Thursday's game against the Bulls. Look for his status to clear up closer to game-time.
