Clippers vs. Nuggets Injury Report: Will Darius Garland & Nikola Jokic Play?

The Los Angeles Clippers take on the Nikola Jokic & the Denver Nuggets in their first game following the All-Star break.

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The first of the 28 remaining games for the Los Angeles Clippers this season comes against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. The rematch of last year's first-round series that ended with a Nuggets win in seven games, the Clippers hope to finally get one over Denver after losing the first two games in the regular season.

Not only will the Clippers be extra motivated to avoid getting swept in the season series, but they also desperately have to climb up the standings. They are 2.5 games behind the No. 8 seed Warriors, and they will believe that they have a chance to make the playoffs if they can at least finish in the top eight.

Unfortunately, however, the Clippers continue to be short-handed. Trade deadline acquisition Darius Garland has yet to make his Clippers debut and remains sidelined for the foreseeable future. The 26-year-old point guard is reportedly more likely to return to action in March, putting the Clippers in a precarious position ahead of their postseason pursuit.

Besides Garland and Bradley Beal, who is out for the season, the Clippers don't have anyone else listed on the injury report.

Nuggets Have Jokic Back, but Remain Without Aaron Gordon & Peyton Watson

The Denver Nuggets are dealing with a more extensive injury list. They had several role players miss extended time this season, and that remains to be the case as Peyton Watson and Aaron Gordon have both been ruled out with hamstring injuries. Backup point guard Jalen Pickett, on the other hand, is listed as probable to suit up.

While they are missing key players in the frontcourt, the Nuggets are happy that the worst of their injury concerns are behind them. After missing 16 games with a knee injury, Nikola Jokic is back and is off the injury report. He will be healthy for the eighth straight game and should have his usual workload. The additional week of rest, especially since he only played a handful of minutes at the All-Star game, should do wonders for Jokic as the 35-20 Nuggets prepare for the final stretch.

With the way Kawhi Leonard has been playing, however, the Clippers should feel good about their chances, especially with Watson and Gordon out. The two forwards would have been the primary defensive assignments on Leonard if they were healthy. Now, Cam Johnson and Spencer Jones will likely take on that role, but if they can do anything to slow down red-hot Leonard remains to be seen.