After consecutive losses, to the Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets managed to string together a couple of wins. The Denver side’s season so far has been quite hot and cold, unable to string together more than 5 wins on the trot. And, even with the visible turnaround in their recent form, Nuggets fans are still left worrying for their star forward, Aaron Gordon. They stare down the barrel at the Atlanta Hawks next, who Nikola Jokic and Co. are set to face on Wednesday.

Nuggets HC, Michael Malone had announced that Aaron Gordon would be out for a minimum of two games before Denver’s loss to the Cavs. He cited a strained right calf as the reason for the forward’s absence. If you’re a true Nuggets fan, you’d remember that Gordon had suffered a similar injury earlier in the season that sidelined him for 10 games!

So, it seems the Nuggets’ star will also miss the upcoming game against the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow. It is confirmed that Aaron Gordon is out of the starting lineup against the Hawks. The culprit? The same strained calf that has kept him out of the last few games.

There are two more players who will be absent for the Denver Nuggets game on Wednesday. Namely, forward Vlatko Cancar, who is undergoing rehabilitation for a knee injury. Although, his status is set to be re-evaluated in 8 weeks. Rookie DaRon Holmes II also remains sidelined after he tore his right Achilles tendon while playing in the Summer League earlier this year.

That said, let’s have a look at how the Nuggets will line up and what their depth chart looks like ahead of their upcoming game.

Denver Nuggets depth chart; can Russell Westbrook step up against the Hawks in Aaron Gordon’s absence?

With Aaron Gordon out, the Nuggets’ are lining up a little differently. His absence has seen Russell Westbrook move back into and thrive in a starting role.

With the Nuggets lining up with two point guards in their last game, Russell Westbrook’s form is on an upward trend. The veteran point guard, who recently turned 36, finished the game with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Brodie sits behind the aforementioned Aaron Gordon as the Denver side’s 6th highest scorer this season. As the Malone-led team struggles to remain consistent, Westbrook’s recent heroics are a sure silver lining in the dark cloud that looms over Denver.

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On the other hand, looking to go on a 5-game winning streak, the Hawks have played considerably well in their past few games.  Although, they find themselves in a similar situation to the Nuggets, injury-wise.

Both Trae Young and Dyson Daniels are reported as probable for the game against the Nuggets. With an abysmal 2-8 record against the Nuggets (L10), the odds are on the side of Denver, as they look to stop the Hawks, even without their mercurial forward.

Importantly, Coach Malone did mention that he does not think this injury will keep Aaron Gordon out for too long.  Although it is still unclear when he will return… There will be some creased brows as Nuggets fans await the return of their star forward!