The Denver Nuggets continue to deal with a long list of injuries as they prepare to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at Ball Arena.
The Nuggets (29-14) snapped a four-game winning streak with a rough home loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, and they will need to bounce back quickly against a Lakers squad that is looking to kick off an eight-game road trip with a win.
Los Angeles (25-16) has dropped five of their last seven games and sits in sixth place in the Western Conference, giving Tuesday's matchup major playoff seeding implications for both teams.
Changes From Last Game's Injury Report
The Nuggets made some key changes to their injury report since Sunday's loss to Charlotte.
Aaron Gordon, who sat out the Hornets game with a right hamstring strain that contributed to Denver's poor showing, has been upgraded to probable for Tuesday and should be available against the Lakers.
Gordon has been working his way back into the rotation after missing 19 games earlier this season with the same injury, and the team clearly missed his presence on both ends of the floor in the blowout loss.
Jamal Murray is also listed as probable with left knee inflammation and an illness, which is a change from Sunday when he played through an ankle sprain.
Murray has been outstanding without Jokic on the floor, averaging 28.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game in eight contests without the three-time MVP while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from deep.
Tim Hardaway Jr. rounds out the probable players with a right knee contusion, and he should be good to go after putting up 30 points against the Wizards on Saturday.
Full Nuggets Injury Report
PROBABLE:
- Jamal Murray (left knee inflammation, illness)
- Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain)
- Tim Hardaway Jr. (right knee contusion)
OUT:
- Nikola Jokic (left knee bone bruise)
- Christian Braun (left ankle sprain)
- Cameron Johnson (right knee bone bruise)
- Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain)
The Nuggets remain without their superstar center Jokic, who has been sidelined since late December and is expected to miss at least a few more weeks.
Jokic was averaging 30.4 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists before going down, forcing Denver's depth players to step up in ways they haven't had to before.
Lakers Bring Their Own Injury Concerns
The Lakers won't be at full strength either, as they continue to miss Austin Reaves due to a left calf strain that has kept him out for 12 consecutive games.
Reaves injured his calf in late December and was originally slated for a four-week re-evaluation, meaning his status could change soon. Rookie Adou Thiero is also out with a right MCL sprain.
The good news for Los Angeles is that Luka Doncic returned to action on Sunday against Toronto after sitting out Saturday's loss in Portland with left groin soreness.
Doncic is leading the NBA in scoring this season with 33.3 points per game while adding 7.5 rebounds and 8.6 assists, making him the biggest challenge for Denver's defense on Tuesday night.
Big Matchup for Both Teams
This game carries major weight for both squads as they jockey for playoff positioning in the Western Conference.
The Nuggets have shown they can win without Jokic, posting a 5-3 record since losing their franchise cornerstone, but Sunday's loss to Charlotte proved that nights without Gordon and with Murray playing through injury can go south quickly.
For the Lakers, this road trip will likely define their season as they try to climb back up the standings and avoid the play-in tournament.
Getting a win at Ball Arena against a shorthanded Nuggets team would be a statement victory, but Denver has proven time and again that they don't go down easy regardless of who is available.
Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. MT on Tuesday at Ball Arena, and the game will be available on NBC and Peacock.