Are the Nuggets in trouble? Well, they are having a shaky season and currently rank fifth in the West standings. And they will be put to the test tonight as they face the Cavaliers, who are on a five-game winning streak. Adding to the concerns, the Nuggets will have to play without some key stars as Aaron Gordon and Jamal Murray highlight the injury report.

Yes, Gordon will not suit up tonight. The reason? A right calf strain he suffered during the recent Suns encounter. Sure enough, the injury forced him to leave the game after nineteen minutes of playing time and he finished with only 7 points. Moreover, this setback raises concern because it’s the same calf he injured in November, which caused him to miss nearly a month of action. And him being out tonight is not a good sign.

Obviously, this is a massive blow for the team as Gordon has been in solid form, averaging 13.7 points and nearly six rebounds. Meanwhile, Murray is probable as he continues to deal with a right ankle sprain. Well, he missed the first game of the back-to-back encounter against the Suns because of the injury. And even upon his return on Christmas Day, he struggled because of it, scoring only 13 points on four of ten shooting. So, it will be interesting to see if he gets upgraded to available for tonight’s game.

Additionally, Vlatko Cancar (knee) and DaRon Holmes II (Achilles) remain out, still recovering from injury.

Nuggets and Cavaliers’ Depth Chart

With AG out and Murray’s availability uncertain, this is what the Nuggets’ Depth Chart looks like:

Of course, Peyton Watson could be bumped to the starting lineup and see a significant increase in minutes in Gordon’s absence. And if Murray is also ruled out at the last minute, Russell Westbrook could get his eighth start of the season.

As far as the Cavs are concerned, this is what their depth chart looks like:

Isaac Okoro is likely to remain out as he is still dealing with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder. Adding to the concerns, Dean Wade is also questionable due to his knee issues. If he does not play, he could be replaced by Sam Merrill in the starting lineup like the last game. Meanwhile, the rest of the lineup is likely to remain the same because of how successful they have been.

Well, the Cavs have practically been unbeatable this season and have only lost four games so far. Moreover, the last time these two sides met earlier this month, the Nuggets got blown out. Do you think they can even the season series despite Aaron Gordon and maybe Jamal Murray being unavailable?