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HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 21: Aaron Gordon #32 of the Denver Nuggets exits the game due to injury in the first quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on November 21, 2025 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
The Denver Nuggets are at home for tonight’s game against the struggling Dallas Mavericks.
The Nuggets are fresh off a thrilling victory over the Suns in Phoenix, giving them their 45th win of the season and a big one over a team biting at stronger postseason positioning in a brutal conference.
Denver has had an erratic season. The team came out of the gates with flying colors, showing the basketball world it was clearly among the best in the world. Ever since, the Nuggets have seen stretches of downright poor play, though some of that can be attributed to untimely injuries.
Nikola Jokic
GettyNikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is a three-time NBA MVP.
The Mile High hoopers are starting to get healthier, but they still have a small hurdle remaining as stars Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson return to full form ahead of the spring tournament.
Denver Nuggets Share Aaron Gordon News Before Tonight’s Game
No matter who is in or out of the lineup, the Nuggets absolutely must take care of business tonight at home.
Dallas is among the most battered teams in the Association and has been missing star point guard Kyrie Irving the entire season. The only hope the Mavericks have for this year is watching the continued growth of rookie sensation Cooper Flagg.
The Nuggets could be without Gordon tonight. The 30-year-old swingman islisted as questionable with right hamstring injury management.
Gordon has been limited to just 31 games so far this season after playing only 51 tilts a year ago. He has been battling a bad hamstring for much of the calendar year and hopes to mitigate any troubles before the playoffs start.
The Nuggets are just 23-19 without the forward this season and 40-33 without him since last season.
Can Nuggets Get and Stay Healthy Before Playoffs?
Since Jan. 1, Denver is just 22-18. The franchise has had some forgettable losses, including just recently when it lost to the lowly Memphis Grizzlies, who are headed for the lottery for the second time in three years.
The Nuggets have gone significant stretches this season without Nikola Jokic, Watson and Jamal Murray, to name the most notable. While getting everyone back healthy before the playoffs is a positive, continuity is critical as well.
Denver has had such few games with Murray, Watson, Gordon and Jokic in the starting lineup this season. With juggernauts like the Oklahoma City Thunder and risers like the San Antonio Spurs on top, the Nuggets don’t have much margin for error this postseason.
With the regular season games remaining now in the single digits, there is little runway ahead for the Nuggets to piece together more continuity and get key players fully healthy.
It isn’t only about closing the regular season; Denver must keep up its intensity and energy in these final games to avoid something disastrous like slipping into the play-in, which is very possible given the team’s current seed and the quality of teams in the West.
The Nuggets currently occupy the fourth seed in the West but sit just one game from the sixth seed. Remember, the seventh seed means the play-in.
The final weeks of the regular season will be a mental test for Denver.