The Nuggets are not invincible on 24 hours of rest after all.
Back home after blowing out Dallas in prime time, Denver was dealt an unexpected blow an hour before opening tip Wednesday when Nikola Jokic was ruled out due to right elbow inflammation, an injury he sustained while warming up, the team said.
The Nuggets couldn’t overcome the last-minute scratch in a 128-108 loss to the Rockets at Ball Arena, where it felt as if the air had been let out of the building. It was the first time in nine back-to-backs this season that Denver (24-16) has lost the second game.