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No Jokic, No Tatum: Who Steps Up in Boston?
8 Jan
Summary
- Nikola Jokic and Jayson Tatum will miss the January 7th game.
- Both Denver and Boston have multiple players currently injured.
- The game will feature depth players due to star absences.
The January 7th game between the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics, initially pegged as a marquee matchup, will be a different contest than expected. Denver, holding a 24-12 record, will be without star center Nikola Jokic due to a left knee bone bruise. Boston, at 23-12, will also be missing its leading scorer, Jayson Tatum, who is sidelined with an Achilles issue.
Compounding these absences, both teams have multiple players nursing injuries. Denver faces additional losses with Cam Johnson, Jonas Valanciunas, and Tamar Bates out, and Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Tim Hardaway Jr. are questionable. Boston's injury list includes Josh Minott. This situation transforms the game into a crucial test of each team's roster depth.
The rescheduled game, tipping off at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, will likely see less focus on individual brilliance and more on strategic rotations and execution. While Denver boasts the league's highest scoring offense, their defense is also porous. Boston, conversely, scores less but excels defensively. The absence of their MVPs means the spotlight will be on players like Jamal Murray (if healthy) for Denver and Jaylen Brown for Boston.
