Denver Nuggets forward Christian Braun has been sidelined for at least six weeks. That’s more than the timeline for wing Jaden Ivey, who sprained his left ankle in a late-November game against the LA Clippers. Clippers guard James Harden accidentally stepped on Braun’s right foot. This is what made Braun step awkwardly on his left foot, leading to the injury. After the crash, Braun was examined by medical personnel and the sprain was confirmed.
Braun, 22, completed her return in the second quarter. Within an hour, he was already indicating that he was in pain — and really limping to boot. He didn’t return to play at all after halftime, an obvious red flag regarding the potential severity of the injury. Fortunately, the Nuggets confirmed subsequently that he will be reexamined in six weeks. This time frame would obviously have a substantial affect on the teams performance over that duration.
Prior to the injury, Braun had made himself a staple of the Nuggets rotation though he’s still a rookie. Averaging 11.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 11 games this season. His exceptional talent to uniquely defend an opponent’s top offensive players made him practically the best secret weapon in the right team’s hands.
The Nuggets will miss Braun, who’s been a key part of the Nuggets’ defensive, scheme-oriented approach this season. Yet, his commitment to difficult defensive assignments and guarding the opponent’s top scorers has bolstered the team’s success to a great degree. With Braun likely out, the Nuggets will have to make further changes to their lineup and strategies in order to stay competitive.
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