Nikola Jokic Exits Miami Game with Left Knee Injury
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DENVER — Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic left Monday night’s road game against the Miami Heat after injuring his left knee just before halftime, the team announced.
The three-time MVP went down when Miami forward Spencer Jones lost his balance in the lane and backpedaled onto Jokic’s left foot. As Jones’s right foot landed on Jokic’s, the Serbian big man’s left leg buckled, sending him to the floor clutching his knee.
Jokic required assistance to get upright and limped to the locker room under his own power, carefully avoiding pressure on the injured leg. The Nuggets quickly ruled him out for the remainder of the contest. Center Jonas Valanciunas opened the second half in Jokic’s place.
A league source told The Athletic that Jokic will undergo imaging on Tuesday to determine the extent of the damage.
The 30-year-old is in the midst of another standout season, averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, 11.1 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 60.4% from the field, 44.0% from three and 85.5% at the foul line across 31 games (35.1 minutes per game). He leads the NBA in triple-doubles (16) as well as rebounds and assists per game, and ranks fifth in scoring.
Denver was already shorthanded Monday. Aaron Gordon (strained right hamstring) and Christian Braun (sprained left ankle) have been sidelined for several weeks, and Cameron Johnson is expected to miss at least a month with a bone bruise in his right knee.
Source: Hoops Rumors
