Nuggets vs. Lakers Injury Report Rules Out Multiple Key Starters

The Denver Nuggets had a four-game winning streak going before suffering a crushing home loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, but now have a great bounce-back opportunity against the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

The Lakers are desperate to string together some wins after losing five of their last seven games, but the Nuggets will certainly not be the easy matchup they are looking for.

Despite playing without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, this Nuggets team finds ways to win, and they will certainly have the pieces to make things challenging for Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and company on Tuesday night.

Nuggets announce a loaded injury report

The Nuggets have been severely shorthanded for a while now, but have managed to stay afloat with a 29-14 record through 43 games. The Nuggets, as expected, remain without three starters in Jokic, Cam Johnson, and Christian Braun, along with backup center Jonas Valanciunas. However, they have also listed a few other key players as probable. The Nuggets' full injury report:

Aaron Gordon - PROBABLE (right hamstring strain)

Tim Hardaway Jr. - PROBABLE (right knee contusion)

Jamal Murray - PROBABLE (left knee inflammation; illness)

Christian Braun - OUT (left ankle sprain)

Cam Johnson - OUT (right knee bone bruise)

Nikola Jokic - OUT (left knee bone bruise)

Jonas Valanciunas - OUT (right calf strain)

Injury Report ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Lakers:

PROBABLE:
Jamal Murray (Left Knee Inflammation, Illness)
Tim Hardaway Jr. (Right Knee Contusion)
Aaron Gordon (Right Hamstring Strain)

OUT:
Christian Braun (Left Ankle Sprain)
Nikola Jokić (Left Knee Bone Bruise)… pic.twitter.com/covYY2AdRX
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 19, 2026

The Nuggets will already be shorthanded enough against the Lakers on Tuesday, especially with Jokic still sidelined, so getting Murray, Gordon, and Hardaway Jr. on the court would be huge.

Murray has been incredible this season, likely to earn his first career All-Star nod, and has been especially great while Jokic is out. In eight games without Jokic, Murray is averaging 28.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game, while shooting 50.0% from the field and 42.1% from three-point range.

Gordon has also been a key to Denver's recent success, and it was clear how poorly they performed while he was sidelined in their last game, resulting in a 23-point loss to the Hornets.

Lakers rule out key starter

The Lakers have been dealing with some key injuries throughout the season, and have one very notable absence for Tuesday's game in Denver: Austin Reaves. The 27-year-old guard is having a career year, but has missed the last 12 games for Los Angeles, and is set to miss at least his 19th game of the season on Tuesday. The Lakers' full injury report:

Austin Reaves - OUT (left calf strain)

Adou Thiero - OUT (right MCL sprain)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves and Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun — Mar 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) drives past Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Lakers have struggled recently, and while there is no guarantee that having Reaves available would make enough of a difference to cover their other mistakes, his presence would certainly help. Of course, the Nuggets are dealing with far more severe injuries, but Reaves' absence is certainly a big one for Los Angeles.

The Nuggets and Lakers are set to tip off in Denver at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday night, available to watch on NBC and stream on Peacock.