J.J. Hickson will likely remain in the starting lineup at center for at least two more games.

Hickson will likely remain in the starting lineup at center for at least two more games, as Joffrey Lauvergne (back) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Bucks and Friday's game against the Rockets, Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post reports.

Analysis:

Lauvergne could be ready to play when the Nuggets head to Phoenix on Sunday, but in the meantime, the center spot should belong to Hickson, especially while Nikola Jokic also remains limited by a lower-back strain. Though the Nuggets have shown a propensity for using a small-ball lineup on occasion during Lauvergne's absence that features Kenneth Faried at center, the team may not be afforded that luxury with matchups against Greg Monroe and Dwight Howard on the docket. As a result, look for Hickson to log heavy minutes in both contests, making him a reasonable target in daily formats. He's coming off his best game of the season Monday against the Trail Blazers, when he posted 19 points (7-11 FG, 5-11 FT) and 13 boards over 30 minutes.