Following a blockbuster 134-133 win over the Atlanta Hawks, the Denver Nuggets are hitting the road to Charlotte to face the Hornets on Sunday. The Nuggets are coming off a two-game winning streak and are also third in the Western Conference with a solid 16-6 record this season. However, the main angle of the game will depend on the star players and their availability.

Meanwhile, the Hornets are also heading into this game with a blowout 111-86 win over the Toronto Raptors and will look to carry that momentum while taking advantage of home court. Overall, Charlotte is languishing in the 12th position in the East with a below-average 7-16 record, but tonight a lot will depend on their star player’s availability.

Will LaMelo Ball play tonight? Latest injury report on Hornets

The Charlotte Hornets have plenty to think about when it comes to injuries, as their star player, LaMelo Ball, is unavailable for Sunday’s game against the Nuggets. He is out due to an injury to his left ankle, something that he picked up during their last game against the Raptors.

Ball slipped in the third quarter of the game while trying to defend Raptors guard Jamal Shead as the Hornets had a 55-49 lead. After the injury, Pete Elliott examined Ball on the sidelines before he left for the locker room with ten minutes remaining on the clock. LaMelo Ball is out with a left ankle bone bruise.

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Ankle injuries haven’t been kind to the young guard, as a right ankle injury restricted his 2022-23 season to just 22 games, while he appeared in only 47 games last season with an issue on his left ankle.

Apart from him, the Hornets have a long list of absentees, including notable players like Collin Sexton and Grant Williams. While Sexton is out with a thigh injury, Williams is sidelined with a knee issue. Other injured players, such as Tre Mann (knee), Josh Green (shoulder), and Pat Connaughton (calf), are also out of contention for Sunday’s game. Only forward Moussa Diabete is listed as questionable as he is recovering from right knee soreness.

Will Nikola Jokic play tonight? Latest injury report on Nuggets

The Nuggets fans will be happy to hear that Nikola Jokic is available for Sunday’s game against the Hornets. The Joker has been playing through a sprained wrist, but he has not shown a slight drop in performance. Jokic recorded a 40-point masterclass in the Nuggets’ last game against the Hawks, where he shot 50% from the floor while adding nine boards and eight dimes.

Nikola Jokic is averaging 29.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 11 assists per game while shooting a whopping 60.8% from the floor. Nikola Jokic has a great record against the Hornets, averaging over 22 points and 13.7 rebounds across 20 games. He will hope to maintain such form in Charlotte tonight.

His partner in crime, Jamal Murray, is also available for this game despite playing through an ankle sprain in recent times.

The Nuggets will miss the services of Aaron Gordon, who is out with a hamstring injury and will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. The other two players out of Sunday’s game are fellow guards Christian Braun (ankle) and Julian Strawther (back).

Denver Nuggets vs Charlotte Hornets Predicted Lineups

Based on the information around injuries available, here’s the predicted lineup for both teams

In LaMelo Ball’s absence, the onus will be on Brandon Miller and rookie Kon Knueppel to step up against a top outfit. Overall, the Nuggets are clearly much stronger with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray’s availability, and therefore, we expect them to win in Charlotte.