Denver Nuggets confirm extent of Nikola Jokic injury after ‘gut-wrenching’ scare
Nikola Jokic will miss at least four weeks of the NBA season after suffering a knee injury against the Miami Heat.
The three-time MVP was having another brilliant game for the Denver Nuggets, with 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the first half.
But seconds before the interval, disaster struck.
Jokic, one of the best players in basketball, was alone under the basket as he stepped forward to help teammate Spencer Jones defend a drive by Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr.
As time was about to expire in the second quarter, Jones backtracked and stepped on the Joker’s left foot, and his knee appeared to buckle.
Jokic collapsed to the court and grabbed his leg before he limped off to the locker room.
The center, who celebrated a big win off the court last summer, did not return to the floor for the second half of Denver’s 147-123 loss at the Kaseya Center.
What injury did Nikola Jokic suffer vs Miami?
While the Nuggets did not to release an official statement on Jokic’s injury Monday night, an MRI scan a day later confirmed the extent of the damage.
“Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic has been diagnosed with a hyperextension in his left knee and will miss at least four weeks,” NBA insider Shams Charania posted on X, sharing the news.
“An immense sigh of relief as tests show the three-time NBA MVP’s knee ligaments are intact.”
The team also released an official statement on Tuesday, that confirmed their star will be ‘re-evaluated’ in four weeks.
While the Nuggets and their fans will be breathing a sigh of relief over the news, which could have been much worse, head coach David Adelman admitted Jokic’s injury was ‘gut-wrenching’ nonetheless.
“All I know is it’s just a left knee injury,” the 2023 NBA Championship-winning coach said Monday night.
“He has to go through the process of what it is.
“Watching it at halftime, it looked like his feet got tangled up with a teammate. And immediately, he knew something was wrong.
“This is part of the NBA. Anybody that gets hurt in this game, it’s gut-wrenching.
“Especially somebody as special as he is.”
What does the Denver Nuggets’ upcoming schedule look like?
With news that Jokic will miss four weeks, attention has turned to Denver’s upcoming schedule.
The Serbian star, who leads the NBA in rebounds and assists this season, will now be sidelined through January.
Denver’s upcoming schedule includes games against the Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers in the coming week.
Jokic will then have to sit out clashes against the Boston Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks in mid-January.
The Nuggets also play the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies and Detroit Pistons before January 28.
Denver, who sit third in the Western Conference with a 22-10 record, have also dealt with other injury issues this year.
Three would-be starters missed Monday’s clash with Miami — Cam Johnson, Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon.
Denver has negotiated a tough December without the latter two, but that was partly down to Jokic’s impressive play.
With the Joker sidelined for four weeks, that task becomes even tougher.
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