  We apply a spin-projection method to calculate microscopically the level
densities of a family of nickel isotopes $^{59-64}$Ni using the shell model
Monte Carlo approach in the complete $pfg_{9/2}$ shell. Accurate ground-state
energies of the odd-mass nickel isotopes, required for the determination of
excitation energies, are determined using the Green's function method recently
introduced to circumvent the odd particle-number sign problem. Our results are
in excellent agreement with recent measurements based on proton evaporation
spectra and with level counting data at low excitation energies. We also
compare our results with neutron resonance data, assuming equilibration of
parity and a spin-cutoff model for the spin distribution at the neutron binding
energy, and find good agreement with the exception of $^{63}$Ni.
