Notable Players Listed on Injury Report for Rockets, Nuggets

Both Houston and Denver will be without valuable players for tonight's game.

Nov 26, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka directs his team against the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Tonight, the Houston Rockets will face off against one of their toughest opponents of the season in the Denver Nuggets.

Denver and Houston have grappled in the upper ranks of the Western Conference all season, and currently sit at No. 2 and 3 respectively. With the OKC Thunder so far ahead at No. 1, it currently feels like those spots are the ceiling for others in the West, making the head-to-head matchup all the more important.

The Rockets have already faced off against the Nuggets once this season, falling in a close, 112-109 bout in NBA Cup play. They'll do so again tonight, this time in Denver, though the injury report is sure to make things look differently than the mid-November matchup.

Here are the injury reports for both the Rockets and Nuggets:

Houston Rockets injuries:

Tari Eason — Questionable: Right oblique strain

Dorian Finney-Smith — Out: Left ankle surgery

Fred VanVleet — Out: Right knee

Denver Nuggets injuries:

Tamar Bates — Out: G League

Christian Braun — Out: Left ankle sprain

Aaron Gordon — Out: Right hamstring

DaRon Holmes II — Out: G League

Curtis Jones — Out: G League

Julian Strawther — Questionable: Lower back

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The Rockets will be relatively healthy going into the matchup against Denver, aside from a few rotational-level players. Starting point guard Fred VanVleet has been out all season, and is likely to remain so, having suffered an ACL tear in an offseason workout.

Dorian Finney-Smith is trending toward an early 2026 return, though he’s yet to make his debut in Rockets’ red. 

After straining his oblique in early November, Tari Eason was expected to be out for four-to-six weeks, but is now trending toward a return having passed the four-week mark. Head coach Ime Udoka said Eason has gotten live work in, meaning his status is up in the air for Monday’s bout.

Eason’s inclusion against the Nuggets would be helpful, as he’s averaged 11.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists so far this season.

Unfortunately, the Nuggets won’t be close to healthy, down two starters in longtime contributor Aaron Gordon, as well has upstart Christian Braun, who’s dealing with an ankle injury.

In addition to two valuable starters, the status of rotational forward in Julian Strawther is also up in the air.

The Nuggets and Rockets tip off at 8:30 p.m. CT on Peacock. The game will be played at Ball Arena in Denver, CO.