NEW ORLEANS — The upper deck of Smoothie King Center was almost as sparse as the Nuggets’ and Pelicans’ active rosters for their first NBA Cup game. New Orleans was missing six players to injuries, including star forward Zion Williamson. Denver was ...

On Friday evening, the Denver Nuggets played the New Orleans Pelicans in Louisiana. The Nuggets were without their best player (Nikola Jokic), and they lost by

The Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans collide at Smoothie King Center as both clubs play their first game of the NBA Cup. Nikola Jokic has been a two-way force for the Nuggets early on, averaging nearly 30 points and 14 boards per game to help Denver ride into tonight’s contest on a five-game winning streak.

Nikola Jokic’s best attribute is not just that he can do almost everything on the court, but it’s also his ability to be available. The latter may be in question in the Denver Nugget’s first NBA Cup game against the New Orleans Pelicans,