Aaron Gordon was out of action for the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday as they defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 125-118. The 6-foot-8 forward sat out due to a hamstring injury, which has also placed a question mark over his availability for Denver’s next game.

Tonight’s game is an elimination game for the NBA Cup. Both the Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets are 1-1, so the loser will be 1-2 and need a lot of help. Denver might have a path forward since their last opponent is an injury-ravaged San Antonio Spurs in Colorado.

On Wednesday in Cleveland, the Rockets (10-3, 1-1) reverted to the "skyline lineup" they utilized for the first two contests of the season in an attempt to match the Cavaliers' towering frontcourt featuring forward Evan Mobley, the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and center Jarrett Allen.

The Rockets and Nuggets are considered two of the best teams in the Western Conference. They'll face one another on Friday night. Here's how you can watch.

He’s a good enough player to have his own story,” Nuggets star Nikola Jokic says of Houston’s Alperen Sengun. “He’s an amazing player.”

Denver was on a nasty seven-game winning streak before the Chicago Bulls on the second night of a back-to-back snapped it. The Nuggets are now 8-1 in the last nine games and rank top three overall in offensive and defensive efficiency on the year.

Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 125-118.

-The Nuggets grab a road win against the Timberwolves. Denver rode a 68-52 second half to this comeback victory. This marks their seventh-straight victory, despite missing two starters in this game. Nikola Jokić had yet another triple-double in that victory.

Heading into the Denver Nuggets ' matchup vs. the New Orleans Pelicans, Aaron Gordon wound up being a late scratch due to a hamstring injury that left head coach David Adelman tasked to elevate someone in his place within the starting five.