Nuggets Update Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon Status vs. Mavericks

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It looks like the Denver Nuggets will have some availability on their side for their upcoming road contest against the Dallas Mavericks, as the team has upgraded Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon to be available for the action, who were both previously deemed questionable leading up to tip-off.
Murray had been dealing with a left ankle sprain and an illness that put his status in question for the second leg of the Nuggets' back-to-back games, while Gordon is still getting back to speed from his previous right hamstring strain that sidelined him for over six weeks.
Injury Update ahead of tonight’s game against the Mavericks:
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 15, 2026
AVAILABLE:
Jamal Murray (Left Ankle Sprain, Illness)
Aaron Gordon (Right Hamstring Strain)
Spencer Jones (Left Ankle Inflammation, Illness)
Bruce Brown (Right Knee Inflammation)
OUT:
Christian Braun (Left Ankle… pic.twitter.com/KfugUaMGMM
The Nuggets will also have Spencer Jones and Bruce Brown in the lineup, who, like the aforementioned two starters, were listed as questionable before the night tipped off, but appear good to go in order to try and extend Denver's winning ways from their latest 122-116 victory against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Nuggets' Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon to Play vs. Mavericks
The Nuggets won't be without a few absences to still deal with, including a couple of starters in three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who's still dealing with his knee injury suffered last month, along with Christian Braun, who's still out and working his way back from his lingering ankle injury.
Jonas Valanciunas, the Nuggets' primary backup big man, is still out as well with a calf strain. But for how Denver's injury outlook has been over the past weeks to months, it's a step in the right direction for one of the most unlucky teams in terms of their availability this season, especially on the second leg of a back-to-back.
The Nuggets' starting lineup will be able to have some sense of normalcy, likely setting up a backcourt of Murray and Jalen Pickett paired next to a frontcourt filled out with Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones, and Aaron Gordon— the same first five out they had against New Orleans in their latest showing.

For Murray, it'll be just one night after his explosive 35-point performance with five three-pointers against the Pelicans after missing three games, also pairing with two rebounds and nine assists to continue fanning the flame to his first-time All-Star candidacy, and something he'll look to continue on the road against another sub-.500 Dallas team.
It'll also be another opportunity against Dallas for Peyton Watson to continue keeping the hot-hand after an electric recent stretch of games to help keep the Nuggets afloat in a tough Western Conference. In his past eight games, Watson has averaged an impressive 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, paired with over a block and a steal per night.
Tip-off between the Nuggets and Mavericks will land at 7:30 p.m. MT, where Denver will have a chance to extend their current win streak to three straight.
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Jared Koch is a sportswriter and editor covering the NFL and NBA for the On SI network since 2023.