A stroke of luck in misfortune! Nuggets' Johnson diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right knee, no structural damage found.

On December 25th Beijing time, the Nuggets forward Johnson received good news following his right knee injury yesterday. According to renowned reporter Scotto, Johnson’s knee MRI revealed a bone bruise without any structural damage.

As ESPN reporter Shams stated on Twitter, Johnson is expected to miss some time, but this outcome is the best possible scenario for both him and the Nuggets, given earlier concerns that his injury might have been more severe.

The injury occurred in the fourth quarter of the game when Johnson was jumping to contest a defensive rebound. He landed awkwardly, fell to the ground, immediately clutched his right knee, and soon after left the game.

According to Nuggets sources, Johnson’s recovery timeline remains somewhat uncertain, with more information expected tomorrow. However, it is almost certain that the forward will miss the Nuggets’ divisional matchup against the Timberwolves on Christmas Day.

Johnson joined the Nuggets from the Nets during the offseason via trade, with the Nuggets sending Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn as part of the deal. Early this season, his performance was very poor, averaging just 7.2 points over 11 games, with shooting percentages of 37.2% from the field, 21.1% from three, and 81.3% from the free-throw line. However, in recent weeks, he has regained form, averaging 14.6 points in the last 17 games, with shooting splits improving to 50.3%, 52.3%, and 81.0% respectively.

Currently, the Nuggets are already missing two starters—Braun (ankle injury) and Aaron Gordon (hamstring injury) are still recovering. Previously, Payton Watson and Spencer Jones filled in for Braun and Gordon, starting alongside Jokic, Murray, and Johnson. Now with Johnson also out, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. have become leading candidates for the starting lineup.