Nuggets Notes: Will Barton headed for second opinion on injury, Nikola Jokic named Western Conference Player of the Week

Starting small forward Will Barton will be out for the “foreseeable future,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Sunday before Denver hosted Golden State.

Just how much time will Barton miss? That’s still to be determined.

The Nuggets will seek additional opinions on Barton’s injury, which the team said Monday is a “right hip and core strain.”

“Our medical, staff, our doctors have looked at it, going to get some second or third opinions on the imaging that was taken on the injury,” Malone said on Altitude Sports Radio. “And hopefully within 24 or 48 hours, we’ll have more of a definitive timeline in terms of how long will is going to be out.”

Barton hurt his hip after a converting a reverse layup in the third quarter of Denver’s 119-91 win over the Phoenix Suns Saturday night. Upon landing, Barton immediately grabbed his groin and hip area and eventually laid down on the court as team trainers rushed to his side. Barton was carted off the floor and didn’t return.

“It was on the jump,” Barton said after the game while noting that he also felt a pop in his hip and groin area. “As I was going into the air, I felt it.”

Torrey Craig started in Barton’s place against Golden State and should remain in Denver’s starting lineup for the Nuggets’ next few games. Denver hosts the Kings on Tuesday before traveling to play the Lakers in Los Angeles on Thursday. Barton has already been ruled out for Denver’s game against Sacramento.

Against the Warriors, Craig played 27 minutes and finished with five points and nine rebounds. The second-year small forward was the Nuggets’ primary defender on Kevin Durant and held the former MVP to 20 points on 7-19 shooting two games after he recorded a DNP-CD in Denver’s opener against the Clippers.

“I’m always ready to play,” Craig said. “It was unfortunate what happened to Will, but then at the same times somebody’s got to be able to step up.”

In Barton’s absence, backup small forward Juancho Hernangomez also saw his playing time increase. Hernangomez played a season-high 23 minutes against the Warriors and finished with eight points and one block, which sealed the win for Denver at the end of regulation.

Jokic wins Player of the Week

For the third time in his young career, Nikola Jokic has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week.

Jokic averaged 26.3 points on 63.2 percent shooting from the field, 50.0 percent shooting from three, 10.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per game over the first week of the regular season and has led Denver to a 3-0 record to start the year. Jokic also leads the league in various statistical categories like Player Efficiency Rating, Win Shares per 48 Minutes and Box Plus-Minus.

Against the Suns, Jokic recorded his first triple-double of the year and finished with 35 points on a perfect 11-11 shooting, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, four steals, one block and zero turnovers. Jokic joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only two players in NBA history to post a 30-point triple-double and shoot perfect from the field.

Jokic is the sixth player in Nuggets franchise history to win the award three or more times, joining Alex English, Dikembe Mutombo, Carmelo Anthony, Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups.