Clippers Injury Report vs. Nuggets: Latest on Kawhi Leonard & Nikola Jokic

Both the LA Clippers and the Denver Nuggets will be short-handed for their Friday clash.

Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Clippers hope to continue their momentum when they travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Friday. Having climbed all the way up to 22-24 for the season, the Clippers have been the best team in the league over the last month. They have an excellent opportunity to keep their win streak going against a tired, short-handed Nuggets.

The Nuggets will continue to be without Nikola Jokic, who hyperextended his knee in late December and missed the last 16 games. Aaron Gordon will also miss the next four-to-six weeks for Denver, and Christian Braun remains sidelined. Not only are the Nuggets down three starters, but they will also be on the second night of a back-to-back after defeating the Nets at home on Thursday.

Kawhi Leonard Questionable, Nikola Jokic Out in Friday's Clippers-Nuggets Clash

The Clippers' injury report has been more of the same. Kawhi Leonard is listed as questionable with a knee contusion for the fourth straight game after missing three games with the same issue on LA's East Coast trip two weeks ago. Leonard was able to suit up despite being on the injury report over the last week, but has been limited to less than 30 minutes per game. LA had an additional day of rest after last playing on Tuesday, giving Leonard extra recovery time. Whether this will help him increase his minutes and workload remains to be seen, but he should be good to go.

In addition to Bradley Beal and Chris Paul, who are not with the team, the Clippers will also continue to be without Derrick Jones Jr. and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Both veterans returned to practice as limited participants last week, signaling that their returns were near. The fact that they are still getting ruled out a day in advance, however, suggests that they need a little more time before returning to action.

Jones has missed 12 consecutive games with an unfortunate sprain in the same knee for the second time this season. Bogdanovic has been out since December 26 as he has struggled with a return from a hamstring injury.

The Clippers should still not underestimate the Nuggets. Unlike previous seasons when they struggled immensely without Jokic, the Nuggets are 10-6 without their MVP this season. At 32-16 and in third place in the Western Conference, they are still one of the best teams in the league. The Clippers have to bring their best to the Denver altitude to win for the 17th time in 20 games.