No more playing! All five key players are down! The NBA’s most unfortunate team

So unfortunate, truly tragic.

Insider Shams reports:Valan suffered a right calf strain and will be reassessed in 4 weeks, this injury happened during the recent Nuggets’ 106-103 win over the Raptors.

Valan’s right calf strain, Brown’s left ankle sprain, Gordon’s grade 2 right hamstring strain, Johnson’s right knee bone bruise, and Jokic’s hyperextended knee with bone bruising... The Nuggets have all five main players sidelined in the hospital, leaving only Murray to carry the team alone, shouldering the heavy burden of leading solo.

Last offseason, the Nuggets traded away Dario Saric and acquired Valan from the Kings. He was the 5th overall pick in the 2011 first round, a 2.11m tall center with a 2.29m wingspan, serving this season as Jokic’s primary backup.

So far this season, Valan has played 33 games with 1 start, averaging 13.3 minutes per game, scoring 8.5 points, grabbing 4.7 rebounds, and dishing 1.2 assists, shooting 59.3% from the field, effectively easing some of Jokic’s inside pressure.

Fortunately, this terrible injury wave hit early in the regular season, leaving enough time for the injured players to recover. Now it’s up to Murray to keep the team afloat during these tough times and at least prevent the team from falling out of playoff contention.

The Nuggets currently hold a 23-10 record, ranking third in the West, 4 games ahead of the seventh-place Suns. Murray is averaging 25.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1 steal per game this season, shooting 45.3% and hitting 3.4 three-pointers per game — all career highs. At 28, he is entering the prime of his career.

Frankly, a healthy Nuggets team might still be the Thunder’s biggest obstacle on their path to defending their title. Last year’s Western Conference second-round playoff series went all seven games, and if they meet again this postseason, it could be an even tougher battle.

Jokic will most likely miss the chance to compete for his fourth MVP this season, but winning his second championship and Finals MVP is very possible—provided he stays healthy; otherwise, it’s all just empty talk.