The Denver Nuggets' injury report isn't getting much smaller these days, with key starters Nikola Jokic, Cameron Johnson, and Christian Braun all sidelined for Tuesday's contest on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans. While Jamal Murray made his return, this team was still battling their issues with a lack of overall depth.

However, the Pelicans led entering the fourth quarter, with the Nuggets making a push late in the game to pull out a 122-116 victory. Murray led the way with an efficient 35 points and nine assists, but perhaps the player of the game was Peyton Watson. In his fourth season, and now stepping up as a starter, Watson is earning himself a big payday for this offseason.

Watson finished the night with 31 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block, ending with a team-high +15. A player who was no doubt expected to be a key rotation piece for the Nuggets this season, Watson has gone above that, and could even retain his spot in the starting lineup based on what he provides on both ends.

After the game, teammate Tim Hardaway Jr. was asked about Watson's progression as a jump shooter, but also added more on what he's seen from his progression.

"Yeah, ever since summertime," Hardaway said. "Just seen him in the gym every single day. I mean, he was in the second unit for the most part of training camp and preseason. So, just seeing his development and seeing him blossom into the player he's becoming right now is amazing. Credit to his hard work and credit to the staff for getting him right."

Hardaway has only been with the team since the 2025 offseason, so he didn't see Watson when he was a rookie in 2022-23, as he was essentially a non-factor on their team that beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. However, he was viewed as a project when he was drafted, and it is certainly paying off for Denver.

It was actually in New Orleans earlier in the season where Watson had his first breakout game, scoring 32 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three-point range while adding 12 rebounds. He's averaging 24.7 points per game now in January, recently receiving Western Conference Player of the Week honors.

If Watson can maintain this level of play once the rest of the starting lineup returns, Denver could very well look like the favorites to win out in the Western Conference, even with the Oklahoma City Thunder still standing in their way.