Only a few games into the regular season, the injury bug has already begun taking a toll on many teams. Well, it was evident during Sunday’s Grizzlies vs. Nuggets encounter as both teams played without their biggest stars, Ja Morant and Nikola Jokic. And the night ended with the Grizzlies blowing out the visitors. But as the two teams meet again for a rematch tonight, the injury concerns are looming over their heads once again.

As per the latest report, Ja Morant is still week-to-week due to the hip injury he suffered during the Lakers game on November 6. And it is uncertain if he will play tonight. But Ja hinted at a potential return with his recent tweet, “Sooner than you think. Source: me.” Sure enough, the Grizzlies are hoping for his quick return, especially after Zach Edey injured his left ankle on Sunday. Yes, the star rookie will not play tonight after leaving mid-way through the last game because of the unfortunate injury.

Adding to the concerns, Marcus Smart could also miss his second straight game, as he is questionable due to an illness. GG Jackson II (foot) and Cam Spencer (ankle) remain out with their respective injuries.

Meanwhile, The Joker remains questionable after missing the last two games, because of personal reasons. With him out due to undisclosed reasons, fans are starting to get worried about the three-time MVP. But Nuggets reporter Katy Winge recently assured, “I can confirm that he and his family are fine and there is nothing to be alarmed about!” Although that is good news, it does not reveal when Jokic will suit up again. Sure enough, his absence leaves a massive void as he is averaging a 29.7-point triple-double.

Moreover, Aaron Gordon is also out for multiple weeks as he is still recovering from a left calf strain he suffered earlier this month during the Raptors game. That’s another big blow for the team as he was averaging 15.4 points and nearly seven rebounds before the injury. Joining the two stars is rookie DaRon Holmes II, who is out with a torn right Achilles.

Nuggets and Grizzlies’ Depth Chart

With Jokic questionable, this is what the Nuggets’ depth chart looks like:

Well, they would hope that Jokic returns tonight because the team struggled without him in the last Grizzlies’ encounter as they got blown out by fifteen points. But if The Joker remains unavailable, Dario Saric is likely to replace him in the starting lineup.

Meanwhile, this is what the Grizzlies’ side looks like:

Of course, they are unlikely to make any major changes to the lineup unless Smart or Morant make a last-minute return. That’s because they did a great job against Denver on Sunday and would be hoping for a similar outcome tonight. Obviously, Edey’s absence leaves a massive void as he is averaging 11.1 points and nearly seven rebounds so far.

Jay Huff is likely to see an increase in minutes in Edey’s absence. As both teams look to improve their record amid injury concerns, who do you think will come out on top?