Three Nuggets Who Could Decide Pivotal Game vs Rockets

It's been far from an ideal start to the month of March for Nuggets wing Cameron Johnson.

In the five games the Nuggets have played up to their matchup against Houston, Johnson has been hurt in two of them. In the three games he has appeared in, he's averaging just 5.3 points on 27.8% shooting from the field, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.

He's listed as probable rolling into this Rockets game due to back spasms, and so long as he plays, he'll be an X-factor for the Nuggets' success. An effective offensive outing where Johnson is efficient and spaces the floor effectively could help Denver push forward for a statement win, while another cold shooting night could make for an uphill battle.

Aaron Gordon proved in the Nuggets' latest game against the Thunder that he was back to full form after missing over a month with a lingering hamstring injury. He played 28 minutes for 23 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, shooting 2-4 from three in the process.

Most of that came from an electric first quarter where Gordon had 19 points on 5-6 shooting from the field, and was an extremely helpful aid on both ends of the floor despite what would end up as a crushing loss in the final seconds.

The number one priority for Gordon is to stay healthy until the postseason. But for whatever minutes restriction he's held to in the regular season games on the horizon, he's a key component of how dynamic the Nuggets can be on both ends of the ball.

Against a team like the Rockets with their size and defensive prowess, having that extra dose of versatility that Gordon brings to the table becomes invaluable.

Another bright spot of the Nuggets' latest loss to the OKC Thunder: veteran guard Tim Hardaway Jr., who had yet another explosive night of scoring the ball that helped the Nuggets take things down to the wire.

His 28 points against the Thunder marked his second-highest total of the season. In games this season where Hardaway Jr. scores more than 20 points, they have an overall record of 10-4. In all but two of those games, he's shooting 54% from the field or higher. When he's got the hot hand, good results tend to fall into place more often than not.

Expect the Nuggets to lean on Hardaway's shot-making once again, as another spark on his behalf could lead to a pivotal win for Denver on their own home floor.