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Hornets at Nuggets: Money on the Floor, January 18, 2026
Who's playing tonight? See the real matchup.Who's playing tonight? See the real matchup.Who's playing tonight? See the real matchup.Who's playing tonight? See the real matchup.
Jokic, who was initially given a four-week re-evaluation timeline, is "right on schedule, if not a little ahead of schedule," Charania said. If he can return around late January or early February, that would allow him to be eligible for the NBA's awards, such as the All-NBA Teams and MVP race.
Gordon was added to the injury report as questionable earlier in the day due to a hamstring injury, and the team has elected to shut him down for Sunday's clash. Look for Zeke Nnaji and Da Ron Holmes to see an uptick in playing time as the only two healthy centers.
Johnson was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right knee after the Nuggets' loss to the Mavericks on Tuesday. The estimated timeline means the seventh-year wing will not return until late January at the earliest. Tim Hardaway and Bruce Brown are the top candidates to enter the starting lineup, and Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther should also take on increased roles for as long as Johnson is sidelined.
Out
J. Valanciunas
The Nuggets are now down both of their starting big men, with Valanciunas joining Nikola Jokic (knee) on the shelf. Valanciunas made his first start of the season Wednesday and was slated to take on a larger role in the absence of Jokic, but with both of them now sidelined, the Nuggets will turn to Da Ron Holmes and Zeke Nnaji to fill in the gap at center.
Braun is still on the mend from a left ankle sprain and will miss his fifth straight matchup. The fact that he hasn't yet been upgraded to either questionable or doubtful ahead of a game is likely a sign that he's not yet close to a return, though the team has yet to provide a firm timetable on when he may be cleared to take the court.
