Stars status uncertain for Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves matchup Friday

The stakes will be high when the Timberwolves and Nuggets tip off Friday at Ball Arena, but there's no guarantee the biggest stars will be on the court.

Nikola Jokic, on track to win his third most valuable player award, is again listed on the official injury report as probable with low back pain and left hip inflammation. He missed Saturday's game in Portland but has played in the two games since. Jamal Murray is listed as questionable with right knee inflammation. Knee and ankle issues have held Murray out of Denver's last three games. Zeke Nnaji and Vlatko Cancar, neither of whom will play Friday, are the only other players on Denver's injury report.

Minnesota's face of the franchise, Anthony Edwards, and Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Rudy Gobert, are both questionable. Edwards is dealing with back spasms, while Gobert is dealing with a rib sprain. Both played Wednesday against Detroit. Karl-Anthony Towns, who hasn't played since March 4, remains out with a torn meniscus in his left knee.

The Nuggets will start the night a half game ahead of the Timberwolves and Thunder atop the Western Conference standings. Denver needs to beat Minnesota in both of their remaining games to secure the tiebreaker should the teams end the regular season with identical records.