Nikola Jokic went down in pain holding his knee during Monday’s matchup between the Nuggets and the Heat, and the three-time MVP was unable to return to the game. Now, ESPN’s Shams Charania is reporting Tuesday morning that Jokic suffered a left hyperextended knee and that he will be sidelined for at least four weeks.
While not having Jokic for at least a month is a huge loss, this diagnosis is a sigh of relief for the Nuggets, as this injury initially appeared to be very serious after the way the durable big man went down in pain Monday night.
Jokic is in the midst of another incredible season, averaging a triple-double of 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game. The center ranks 11th in the NBA in plus/minus and after he exited Monday’s game vs. the Heat, Miami ran away with a 24-point win over Denver.
Jokic has played in at least 69 games in eight of his 11 seasons in the league and he has yet to miss a game this season. The Nuggets aren’t used to being without the superstar and things could get difficult for the team, especially with Aaron Gordon (hamstring) also still sidelined. Jokic has only missed 15 games over the last three seasons and Denver is just 6-9 in those games.
Jokic was looking poised to win his fourth MVP award this season, but following the news of him being out, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has moved to a -450 on DraftKings Sportsbook to win the award.
