Nuggets' Mason Plumlee out with right foot injury

Denver Nuggets center Mason Plumlee will reportedly be sidelined for two weeks to a month with a right foot injury, the team announced on Wednesday. Plumlee has been diagnosed with a right cuboid injury, which will be re-evaluated in approximately 2-4 weeks.

Mason Plumlee has been diagnosed with a right cuboid injury, the team announces, and his status will be re-evaluated in approximately 2-4 weeks.

— Mike Singer (@msinger) January 22, 2020

Denver’s frontcourt was already hobbled as veteran forward Paul Millsap has been out for the last seven games with a left knee contusion. He will not play tonight against Houston Rockets (8 ET, League Pass) and Plumlee’s absence only further exacerbates the thinned depth along the front line. Aside from Millsap’s injury, guard Gary Harris has missed the team’s last four games with an adductor injury.

Mike Singer of the Denver Post reports Plumlee suffered the injury in the first half of Monday’s win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He rolled his right ankle in the second quarter of that game, but returned in the third quarter and finished with six points and four rebounds in 10 minutes of action.

Mason came back in the second half of Monday’s game after rolling his right foot. He said trainers gave him treatment and X-rays came back clean. Obviously hinders Denver’s depth even more. https://t.co/1BDZ791wWo

— Mike Singer (@msinger) January 22, 2020

Overall this season, Plumlee is averaging 7.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 2.4 apg in 17.4 mpg as a key reserve. He has appeared in 42 games and is one of the better shot blockers and interior defenders on Denver’s front line. The Nuggets are 30-13 and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, trailing the No. 2-seeded LA Clippers by just a 1/2 game.

Plumlee’s injury could open up additional playing time for rookie Michael Porter Jr., who has scored in double figures in his last five games (including a 20-point game vs. the Wolves).

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.