The Denver Nuggets, who are already dealing with a plethora of injuries, may add two more to that list of sidelined players tonight in their matchup against the Phoenix Suns. 

According to the NBA’s latest official injury report, Nikola Jokić (Left Wrist Sprain) and Bruce Brown (Right Knee Sprain) are both listed as questionable to play against their Western Conference foes. 

This is just the latest ripple in what has been an injury-ridden couple of weeks for Denver. 

Up until a couple weeks ago, the Nuggets were considered one of the healthier teams in the league, especially in the Western Conference compared to a team like the Los Angeles Lakers, who were missing LeBron James for several weeks to start the season, as well as Luka DonDončić and Austin Reaves for different games here and there. 

Now it’s a different story in Denver, as not only are the Nuggets currently dealing with injuries to starters like Christian Braun (Left Ankle Sprain) and Aaron Gordon (Right Hamstring Strain), as well as a key role player in Julian Strawther (Lower Back Injury Management), but potentially to Jokić and Brown as well. 

Jokić has popped up on the injury report prior to tonight’s contest, but has ultimately ended up playing each time and has played in all 18 of the Nuggets’ games so far this season. 

The three-time MVP is averaging a triple-double with 29.1 points, 12.6 rebounds and 11 assists per game, thus his presence would be sorely missed in a game where Denver is trying to bounce back following a loss to the Victor Wembanyama-less San Antonio Spurs last night. 

“Just one-on-one individual containment, one, and then two, just extra efforts,” Peyton Watson said in a postgame interview last night after the loss to the Spurs, speaking to where the team’s defense needs to improve. “I think that that’s the name of the game. You can’t contain everybody, but it’s those extra efforts to get out there, get late contests and just bother the other team that we really aren’t doing right now. And that’s just something that we gotta work on. But it’s early in the season and like [Head Coach David Adelman] said, this game was worth the same as the next one.” 

Brown, while not a starter and not producing as much as Jokić, has been a pivotal piece of the Nuggets’ second unit, thus making his questionable status significant as well. He is averaging 6.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game this season. 

What Injuries Are the Suns Battling?

On the Suns’ side, they also have quite a few players on the injury report heading into play.

Grayson Allen (Right Quadriceps Contusion), Ryan Dunn (Right Wrist Sprain), Jordan Goodwin (Left Ankle Sprain) and Mark Williams (Right Calf Soreness) have all been marked as questionable to play tonight. 

Jalen Green (Right Hamstring Strain) and Isaiah Livers (Right Hip Soreness), on the other hand, have been ruled out.  

The Nuggets (13-5) and Suns (12-8) will tip-off at 9 p.m. EST tonight in Phoenix at the Mortgage Matchup Center.