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

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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