Nuggets Wolves injury report: Is Rudy Gobert playing tonight? KAT? Naz Reid? Any big?

On paper, Nuggets at Timberwolves should be one of the better games left on the schedule. The teams have the exact same record at 47-21 on the season and they’re tied for the number two seed in the Western Conference, just a half-game behind the Thunder.

Unfortunately, this game appears destined to be marred by injury and circumstance. The Wolves were an upstart team last year, battling through the play-in tournament to get the eight seed. 

They fought the Nuggets hard in their first-round series, even stealing a game, and looking frisky in others. The Wolves, with their unconventional frontcourt with Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, were able to give the Nuggets a bit of trouble.

The Wolves won the only previous meeting this regular season as well. Minnesota is one of the only teams in the league that can stack up with Denver in terms of size and physicality. They have the defense to at least make the Nuggets work - that’s more than a lot of teams can say.

But the T-Wolves suffered a brutal blow weeks ago when Towns suffered a meniscus injury that will likely sideline him until the playoffs (at least). Then recently, Gobert suffered a rib injury that has caused him to miss the past three games. And to top it off, backup big man and Sixth Man of the Year candidate, Naz Reid left Monday night’s game with a head injury.

Minnesota has been in the hunt for the one seed all season, largely on the back of their elite frontcourt, but now that group is badly depleted. And they’ll have to figure out a way against Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, and the Nuggets.

Timberwolves injury report

Gobert (ribs) and Towns (knee) are both ‘Out’ for Tuesday night’s clash of titans. Naz Reid has been downgraded to ‘Questionable’ with a head injury. Whether Reid can go or not, the Wolves will be reaching deep into their bench for big men.

Luka Garza will likely play the bulk of the center minutes and they might have to resort to a heavy dose of small-ball with Kyle Anderson or Jaden McDaniels at “center”.

Nuggets injury report

The Nuggets will be without Vlatko Cancar (knee) again, and Zeke Nnaji is listed as ‘Questionable’ with a back injury.

Betting odds

The Nuggets are currently favored by 5.5 points and the total is set at 212.5 points.