Life without Nikola Jokic has once again exposed the Denver Nuggets’ fragility. His absence loomed large in a 113-108 loss to the Cavaliers, where the Nuggets struggled to close. That concern now travels to Brooklyn for a Sunday night matchup with the Nets at Barclays Center. Denver’s poor record without its star remains an urgent problem, and this stretch may define its resilience.

Is Nikola Jokic playing tonight against the Brooklyn Nets?

Nikola Jokic is unfortunately unavailable for Sunday’s contest against the Brooklyn Nets. Jokic suffered a knee hyperextension during their game against the Miami Heat. Since then, he has been on the sidelines and will continue to miss until the end of this month. Fortunately, it is only a hyperextension, and he hasn’t suffered any structural damage.

Before the injury, Jokic was enjoying an MVP-level season, averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 11.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game across 32 games this season. He was leading the MVP ladder with his stellar performances until he suffered a brutal awakening.

There’s a reason why Jokic is so important for the Nuggets, as he brings that dominating presence to the court with his scoring, rebounding, verticality, playmaking, and leadership. It will be interesting to see how the Nuggets fare without the three-time MVP.

Denver Nuggets vs Brooklyn Nets Injury Report

With the news of Nikola Jokic’s unavailability now confirmed, let us take a detailed look at the injury reports of both teams ahead of Sunday’s game. Interestingly, there’s uncertainty around some players’ availability across both outfits.

Denver Nuggets Injury Report

Nikola Jokic’s absence is the obvious one, as he is out with knee hyperextension and will remain out for a month or so. Similarly, backup center Jonas Valanciunas is also out for a similar period with a calf strain, leaving the Nuggets shorthanded in that position.

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However, the best news for the Nuggets has to be Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon getting upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s game. They are close to achieving full fitness. Braun is nursing an ankle concern, and Gordon is down with a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Cam Johnson is another player unavailable for this game due to a right knee contusion.

Star guard Jamal Murray has been playing through injury in the last few games. He was listed as questionable in the previous game, but he still turned up. He is dealing with an ankle sprain.

Brooklyn Nets Injury Report

The Brooklyn Nets have also been plagued by injuries throughout this season. But fortunately, Cam Thomas, who missed the last game against the Wizards, is off the injury list, and so is Egor Demin, who missed the game against the Houston Rockets.

In terms of absentees, starting center Nic Claxton is out because of personal reasons, while Michael Porter Jr. is listed as questionable with illness. He has missed the last two games and is doubtful for this one as well. Meanwhile, Hayward Highsmith is the only other player unavailable for this game due to a knee injury. He has made great progress to recovery, but isn’t there yet.

Denver Nuggets vs Brooklyn Nets Predicted Starting Lineups

Based on the latest NBA injury reports, here are the predicted starting lineups for both teams ahead of Sunday’s game.

The biggest setback for the Nets will be missing Michael Porter Jr, who is in sensational form. However, the return of Cam Thomas is still a big boost for them. But Day’Ron Sharpe will have to step up big time in Claxton’s absence in the center position. Similarly, Jamal Murray will have to do the heavy lifting with his scoring for the Nuggets. Zeke Nnaji and Tim Haraway Jr will also be crucial for them coming off the bench.