The Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets meet in a high-stakes NBA Cup in-season tournament matchup Friday night, featuring two of the Western Conference’s hottest teams.

Denver enters at 11-3, sitting second in the West, while Houston is 10-3 and third after a surprising early-season surge behind elite defense and the rapid development of Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr.

The Rockets are one of the league’s most physical interior teams, ranking seventh in the NBA with 53.4 points in the paint per game, led by Sengun’s 12.0 points inside.

Denver counters with size and rebounding dominance, sitting second in the West at 47.3 rebounds per game, thanks largely to two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who’s averaging 13.2 boards.

But both teams enter with significant injury questions that could directly affect the matchup.

Aaron Gordon's injury status vs. the Rockets

Denver forward Aaron Gordon is listed as probable due to bilateral hamstring injury management, according to Thursday’s official injury report.

Gordon has been one of the Nuggets’ most reliable two-way contributors this season, averaging 20.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and shooting career-best splits at 53.6% FG and 45.2% from three across 12 games. Barring a last-minute setback, he is expected to be available and start.

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Nuggets injury report

Denver will remain without Christian Braun (left ankle sprain) and Julian Strawther (lower back injury management), while DaRon Holmes II and Tamar Bates are on G-League assignment. Gordon’s presence is crucial, particularly defensively against Houston’s versatile forward group.

Rockets injury report

Houston could be shorthanded as well. Steven Adams (ankle tendinopathy) and Jabari Smith Jr. (right knee tendinopathy) are both listed as questionable, while Tari Eason (oblique strain), Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle surgery), and Fred VanVleet (ACL repair recovery) are out.

Without VanVleet, Houston leans heavily on Sengun’s interior playmaking and Amen Thompson’s perimeter creation.

With NBA Cup stakes and early-season seeding implications, Gordon’s availability could swing the contest. Denver seeks to maintain its dominance in conference play (9-2 vs. the West), while Houston looks to continue its breakout run and build momentum toward group-stage advancement.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8 PM ET.