Denver's Week Turns on Whether Johnson Rejoins the Starting Five Friday
This week depends less on Phoenix, Portland and Toronto than on whether Cameron Johnson comes back and lets Denver's best five play together again.
Denver opens a three-game week Friday in Phoenix, then comes home for Portland on November 2 and Toronto on November 4. Johnson is listed to return for the first of those games, and the five he completes was +13.5 together in 2025-26.
Why does Friday in Phoenix matter most?
It is the week's only road game, and Denver gets the least rest for it. The Nuggets have one day off after three games in seven days. Phoenix has had three days off at home, though it plays again the next night. ESPN noted it is also a Cup group-stage game. The Suns are 1-2 under Jordan Ott with a 124.5 defensive rating. Devin Booker is scoring 23.0 a game with 5.3 assists, and Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and Miles Bridges each sit between 13.7 and 14.7.
Where Jokic should go to work
Phoenix is thin inside. Mark Williams is out with a left shoulder injury and Oso Ighodaro is day-to-day with an oblique. That leaves Khaman Maluach, at 7.3 rebounds in 23.4 minutes, as the main big still available. Nugg Love argued this week that Jokic is better when he takes his game back to the paint, and against this frontcourt that is the obvious place to start. The one thing to clean up is the ball: he had seven turnovers in Wednesday's triple-double, which ESPN reported was his 200th.
What changes if Johnson plays?
In New Orleans the starters scored 85 of the 104 points and the bench scored 19. Trevon Brazile started and gave 11 points and eight rebounds in 32 minutes. DeMar DeRozan shot 1 for 6 but had five assists and was on the floor at the finish. Johnson is out with his right ankle but listed to return Friday, and Diallo, away for personal reasons, has the same date. A healthy Johnson moves Brazile to the bench and gives Denver a deeper second unit. He also brings back the Jokic, Murray, Braun, Gordon and Johnson group that was +13.5 in 2025-26, a small sample but a telling one. That is the case for continuity: five players who already know where each other's cuts end.
The home games, and who is still out
Spencer Jones, out with a hamstring injury, is projected back November 2 against Portland. Julian Strawther's left knee keeps him out until about November 29. Denver gets two days off before the Trail Blazers and one before the Raptors, both at Ball Arena. At 2-2 the Nuggets are ninth in the conference, half a game behind San Antonio for sixth and half a game clear of 11th. Phoenix on short rest is the hard game. The two home games are where a reassembled starting five should show what it is worth.
When do the Nuggets play the Suns?
Friday, October 30, in Phoenix, in a Cup group-stage game. It opens a three-game week that continues at home against Portland on November 2 and Toronto on November 4.
Is Cameron Johnson playing against the Suns?
He is listed out with an injured right ankle but projected to return October 30, the day of the Phoenix game. Spencer Jones is projected back November 2.
