Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic could make season debut Jan. 2nd vs. Golden State Warriors

The Denver Nuggets have been missing their starting center all season in second-year Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic. He has been rehabbing from a partially torn patella tendon in his left knee, that he underwent surgery on back in May. Good news is that Nurkic could make his season debut Jan. 2nd vs. the Golden State Warriors, according to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post.

Good news for the #Nuggets. Jusuf Nurkic may make his season debut on Friday at Golden St, coach Michael Malone said.

— Chris Dempsey (@dempseypost) December 30, 2015

Nurkic’s performance in practice on Friday will be the determining factor in his availability. If he plays, he’ll be limited to 15 minutes

— Chris Dempsey (@dempseypost) December 30, 2015

Nurkic was cleared for full contact practice on Dec. 17th and participated in his first full shoot around on Dec. 18th in Utah ahead of the Nuggets vs. Jazz game. As Dempsey notes, Nurkic will be on a minutes restriction whenever he returns to the court. Last season he averaged 6.9 points and 6.2 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game as a rookie.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone also outlined a timetable that could see the return of rookie Emmanuel Mudiay and leading scorer (17.3 points per game) Danilo Gallinari on that same Jan. 2nd date vs. the defending league champions. If Nurkic, Mudiay and Gallinari all return to action vs. the Warriors, it’ll be a huge boost for the Nuggets at home.

We’ll see if Nurkic is able to go, as the Nuggets move towards getting healthier.