Jokic to miss about four weeks with hyperextended left knee, Nuggets say
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DENVER — The Nuggets announced Tuesday that three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic has a hyperextended left knee and is expected to be re-evaluated in four weeks.
The injury, sustained with roughly three seconds remaining in the first half of Monday night’s 147-123 loss to the Miami Heat, is not expected to require surgery. If the projected timetable holds, the 6-foot-11 center could miss about 16 games and return ahead of the NBA All-Star Game in February.
Jokic fell beneath the basket after teammate Spencer Jones stepped on his left foot while backtracking to defend Miami rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. Jokic grabbed at his knee, left the court with assistance and limped to the locker room under his own power.
Through 32 games, Jokic ranks fifth in the league in scoring at 29.6 points while leading all players with 12.2 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game. Only Oscar Robertson (1961-62) has averaged at least 12 rebounds and 11 assists over an entire season. Jokic is also shooting a career-best 43.5% from three-point range and owns an NBA-leading true-shooting percentage just above 71%.
“Obviously, it’s part of the game, but we never want to see it happen,” guard Jamal Murray said after Monday’s game, before the test results were known. “Next man up. We’ve got to focus on what’s in here.”
Denver, already without Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cam Johnson, sits third in the Western Conference at 22-10 despite dropping four of its past six contests. The club is 13-23 over the past five seasons when Jokic does not play. The Nuggets continue a seven-game road trip Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors, the fifth game of the swing.
“You have to stay with it as a team and as a group,” head coach David Adelman said Monday. “That’s how you best support your teammates who are out — by honoring them when you play.”
Earlier Monday, Adelman praised Jokic’s pursuit of efficiency. “He’s trying to look at it as a craft,” the coach said. “It’s impressive to watch him not be satisfied and attack new journeys.”
Source: ESPN
