The Denver Nuggets were left with more questions than answers Monday night after Nikola Jokic exited early with a left knee injury during a lopsided loss to the Miami Heat.
Denver announced during the game that Jokic was questionable to return after suffering the injury late in the second quarter. He did not come back for the second half, which opened with Jonas Valanciunas in the starting lineup at center. The Nuggets went on to fall 147-123 in Miami.
The injury occurred in the final seconds of the first half when Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. drove into the lane and made incidental contact with Jokic, who stumbled to the floor and immediately grabbed his knee. After a brief delay, the three-time MVP was helped to the locker room.
The Nuggets look like a hospital
The exact severity of the injury remains unclear, though any knee issue involving Jokic is cause for concern for a Denver team already dealing with multiple injuries.
Aaron Gordon has missed extended time with a hamstring strain, Christian Braun has been sidelined with an ankle injury, and Cam Johnson is also out after suffering a knee injury last week.
Despite playing only one half, Jokic was Denver’s leading scorer, finishing with 21 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Miami was led by Norman Powell, who scored 25 points to pace the Heat’s dominant performance.
Jokic entered the night in the midst of one of the most efficient seasons of his career, averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists while shooting better than 60 percent from the field. His absence, even for a short stretch, would be a major blow to a Nuggets team already stretched thin.
Valanciunas will have to cover for Jokic
If Jokic is forced to miss time, Valanciunas is expected to assume a larger role. Acquired from the Sacramento Kings this offseason, the veteran center has averaged 8.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in limited minutes across 31 appearances.
For now, Denver will await further evaluation on its superstar, hoping the knee issue proves minor as the Nuggets try to navigate an increasingly difficult stretch of the season.
With the latest information regarding Nikola Jokic, he will be out for at least four weeks due to the injury he got in his last game, which is a hyperextended of his left knee. Despite the bad news, this could be seen as good news. This could be worse than it turned out.
Therefore, this could sound weird; however, it is a relief to know that it was not the horrific news they were expecting.
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