Denver is forced to attempt to snap a two-game skid without Jokic against a Rockets team riding a nine-game win streak. The Nuggets are just 3-5 in their last eight games and just 7-8 since going on a nine-game win streak in February. They are still 44-27 on the year but have fallen to third in the Western Conference.

Nikola Jokic missed his third consecutive game with elbow and ankle injuries as the team continued to prioritize his health ahead of the playoffs. He has played through both injuries as recently as last Saturday against the Wizards at Ball Arena.

There's no denying that the Denver Nuggets are a completely different team when Nikola Jokic is not on the court for them. It's shown in stats like his on-court