The Nuggets head into Wednesday night’s matchup in New Orleans still patching together a rotation that has already been stretched thin early in the season. Denver is coming off a 1-2 start after Monday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors, and now it gets a quick shot at the Pelicans after the two teams went to overtime on Saturday.
That earlier meeting ended with Denver surviving a 23-point hole and escaping with a home win in its second game of the year. This time, the setting changes and the injury situation hasn’t improved much for the Nuggets, who are still missing multiple pieces.
Cameron Johnson, Denver’s starting forward, played 11 minutes in the first half of the season opener and has not played since. He is in line to miss a third straight game, and the Nuggets have also ruled out three key bench players. Denver’s full injury report:
Spencer Jones - OUT (bilateral hamstring injury management)
Backup forward Spencer Jones and guard Julian Strawther have not appeared this season, which has already thinned out Denver’s second unit. Alpha Diallo is now expected to miss his third consecutive game as well, leaving the Nuggets leaning even more on the end of the bench.
If Johnson sits again, Bryce Hopkins should be in line for a third straight appearance, while Trevon Brazile is expected to keep bringing energy off the bench in Jones’ absence.
New Orleans has injury issues of its own. The Pelicans will be without starting center Yves Missi for a second straight game, and backup guard Jordan Poole is on the injury report but expected to play. Their full injury report:
Even with the availability edge tilted toward New Orleans, Denver still has the kind of firepower to beat a winless Pelicans team. DeAndre Jordan is expected to fill in for Missi again, and that should set up another big night for Nikola Jokic.
Jokic was brilliant in Saturday’s win, piling up 35 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Pelicans. With the same opponent back on the schedule, Denver should be expecting more of that same kind of control from its MVP centerpiece.
The bigger picture is simple: the Nuggets cannot afford to slip to 1-3. After the Warriors loss, and after nearly getting burned by New Orleans on Saturday, Wednesday offers a clear chance to clean things up and beat a shorthanded opponent.
Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m. MT in New Orleans.
In Other News...
Cameron Johnson Could Give Denver A Timely Boost Against His Former Team
Cameron Johnsons start in Denver has been slowed almost immediately by an ankle sprain suffered in the season opener, and the Nuggets have gone without him for the past three games. Now the veteran forward is at least trending in the right direction, with his status for the matchup against the Phoenix Suns moving into questionable territory.
Alpha Diallo is in the same boat after missing time for personal reasons, leaving Denver with more uncertainty as it prepares for a game that already carries some extra intrigue because of Johnsons ties to his former team. Whether either player can get back on the floor will be one of the key items to watch as the Nuggets sort through their rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Rotation Suddenly Gives David Adelman A Tough New Decision
Denvers injury picture has forced David Adelman into a moving target lately, with Spencer Jones, Julian Strawther, Alpha Diallo and Cameron Johnson all unavailable and the rotation getting reshuffled around them. The Nuggets have had to lean on fresh combinations, and one of the most notable changes has been the rookie Trevon Brazile sliding into the starting group as the coaching staff searches for lineups that can stabilize the game on both ends.
Braziles role is only part of the dilemma now, because the bench also turned heads in the win over New Orleans. Marvin Bagley III and DeMar DeRozan gave the second unit real pop, and their play added another layer to Adelmans choices as the Nuggets look for the right mix once the roster starts to heal. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Have Found The Defensive Answer Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Nuggets have already taken two games from the Pelicans this season, but the defensive feel around those wins has not been the same. One was a cleaner, more connected effort, and head coach David Adelman came away encouraged by the way Denver moved on that end of the floor, especially with its rotations looking sharper and the group playing with more edge.
A big part of that progress came from the energy of the young guys, with rookies Trevon Brazile and Bryce Hopkins giving the team minutes that stood out for the right reasons. Denver has been searching for a steadier defensive identity, and while one strong night does not settle that question, the latest performance at least gave the Nuggets something tangible to build on as they try to make that consistency stick. [Read more 🡒]