Jokic Questionable for Houston With Sprained Right Elbow
Denver's injury report lists Jokic and five other players as questionable for the game in Houston, after a trip home from Mexico City that lasted more than 21 hours.
At 3:25 a.m. at the airport in Mexico City, the Denver Nuggets had to get off a plane that had already been repaired, because the doors had jammed. Almost eight hours had passed since the team left the arena, and players did not get back to their hotel until about 5 a.m. A day later came an injury report with the name of Nikola Jokic on it.
Who is on Denver’s injury report for Houston?
On Sunday, November 8, the Nuggets posted their list on their official X account ahead of the road game against the Houston Rockets. Jokic is questionable with a sprained right elbow. Also on the list:
- Jamal Murray, bruised left lower leg
- Christian Braun, bruised left calf and illness
- Aaron Gordon and Cameron Johnson, lower-body injury management
- DeMar DeRozan, lower back spasms
Julian Strawther will not play, as he is out with a sprained left knee. Nearly Denver’s entire rotation is listed as questionable.
The game is scheduled for the night between Monday and Tuesday, with tip-off at 2:30 a.m. Serbian time. Denver is 5-3 in the 2026/27 season. Houston is 7-3 and has lost two straight.
What happened on the trip from Mexico?
Denver beat Indiana 112-102 on Saturday at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, according to Denversports.com. Jokic played 35 minutes and finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists.
Then came a night at the airport:
- 7:30 p.m., the team leaves the arena
- 9:00 p.m., the bus reaches the airport, where a fault on the plane is discovered
- 1:00 a.m., a replacement part arrives while players are already on board
- 2:20 a.m., the installation is finished
- 3:25 a.m., everyone gets off the plane because the doors jammed
- about 5:00 a.m., back at the hotels
On Sunday the buses left the hotel at 2:15 p.m. The plane doors were closed at 4:36 p.m. and the aircraft took off at 4:54 p.m., more than 21 hours after the team left the arena.
Denver Nuggets television reporter Katy Winge described the night on X this way: “One of the worst travel nights I can remember for the Nuggets.”
Will Jokic play in Houston?
The report does not say whether Jokic will play, so that decision is still to come. An elbow injury is rare for him. Denversports.com notes that few injuries have bothered him in recent years, which makes the sprained right elbow more notable on paper.
Between the game in Mexico and the trip to Houston, Denver went through a journey of more than 21 hours, with a fault, a wait for a replacement part and jammed doors. Who takes the floor in Houston becomes clear on the night between Monday and Tuesday, when the game starts at 2:30 a.m. Serbian time.
