The Denver Nuggets have been struggling a bit lately as they look to wrestle for top positioning in the NBA's Western Conference. They have won just half of their last 12 games, and they're clinging to third place in the West.
They face a big game on Monday versus the Golden State Warriors, a team that had been red-hot lately after its huge trade last month for star forward Jimmy Butler.
Unfortunately for Denver, it will be very short-handed in this game. Not only will Jamal Murray and Christian Braun not be available, but neither will superstar center Nikola Jokić, who is dealing with two different ailments.
Injury Update ahead of tonight's game against the Warriors:
AVAILABLE:
Aaron Gordon (Right Calf Injury Management/Left Ankle Sprain)
OUT:
Nikola Jokić (Right Elbow Contusion/Left Ankle Impingement)
Christian Braun (Left Foot Inflammation)
Jamal Murray (Left Knee Inflammation)… pic.twitter.com/xYL0vXBT0p
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) March 18, 2025
While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder will, in all likelihood, win this season's regular season MVP award, many still consider Jokic the best basketball player on the planet.
He's averaging 29.1 points, 12.8 rebounds and 10.3 assists a game this season, which means he's in position to become just the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season. In addition to his amazing scoring skills, he is the offensive hub that makes the Nuggets go, both in their set offense and in their transition game.
He is one of the few big men in basketball who is adept at grabbing a defensive rebound and leading the fast break, and he is a wizard at setting up teammates on pick-and-rolls and dribble handoffs.
Golden State has won 14 of its last 16 games since Butler, a six-time All-Star, made his debut with the team. It sits in sixth place in the West and is starting to be considered a dark horse contender for this season's NBA championship.
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This story was originally published March 17, 2025 at 6:33 PM.