Nuggets' injury woes continue as Jonas Valanciunas sidelined for a month with strained calf

Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valan훾i큰nas (17) jumps towards the basket as Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) defends during first half NBA action in Toronto on Wednesday Dec. 31, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets' injury woes continued Thursday with news that backup center Jonas Valanciunas will miss at least a month with a strained right calf he suffered in his first start in place of injured superstar Nikola Jokic.

Valanciunas was injured with 4:03 left in the third quarter of Denver's 106-103 win at Toronto on New Year's Eve.

Valanciunas joins four starters who are sidelined. Jokic got hurt in Miami on Monday night and an MRI the following day revealed a hyperextended left knee, sideling him at least a month.

Before than, forward Cameron Johnson hyperextended his right knee in a game at Dallas, joining Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) on the sideline.

Gordon and Braun are close to returning.

The Nuggets are 23-10 and in third place in the Western Conference standings.

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Toronto Raptors forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) shoots over Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valan훾i큰nas (17) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto, Wednesday Dec. 31, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)