Stuart Hodge
Nikola Jokic injury: Three-time NBA MVP hurts knee as Denver Nuggets nervously await prognosis on superstar
Nikola Jokic limped off at the end of the first half of Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat and did not appear for the second half; Jokic and the Nuggets now await the results of an MRI scan to determine the severity of the injury
Last Updated: 30/12/25 10:38am
Nikola Jokic went down with an injury to his left knee in the first half of the Denver Nuggets' defeat to the Miami Heat and now fans face a nervous wait to see the extent of the damage.
An MRI scan will now determine just how much time the Serbian superstar is set to miss.
The three-time NBA Most Valuable Player was having another brilliant game at Kaseya Center with 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the first half, demonstrating his typical flair with behind-the-back passes to set up scores and by generally doing whatever he wanted.
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Then came one misstep from a team-mate, with about three seconds left until halftime, and Jokic's knee buckled.
Jokic was alone under the basket and appeared to step forward to help Denver's Spencer Jones defend a drive by Miami's Jaime Jaquez Jr. as time was about to expire in the second quarter. While backtracking, Jones stepped on Jokic's left foot and the center collapsed to the court, grabbing at the knee.
He limped off the court, did not play at all in the second half and the Nuggets did not immediately release any news on the severity of the injury.
"Immediately, he knew something was wrong," Nuggets coach David Adelman said after Denver's 147-123 loss.
"Hey, this is part of the NBA. Anybody who gets hurt in this game, it's kind of gut-wrenching, especially somebody as special as he is.
"We'll find out more (Tuesday). We'll move on as a team. Obviously, right now, I'm more concerned just about him as a person and the disappointment of going through something like that."
Following the injury, Jokic made his way to the locker room under his own power but with a pronounced limp. He was evaluated by doctors Monday night before leaving the arena with the Nuggets scheduled to fly to Toronto on Tuesday for a game against the Raptors on Wednesday.
If Jokic misses any significant time, it would be a massive blow to Denver and in some respects to the entire NBA given his standing as one of the game's absolute superstars. Even a one-month absence would mean about 16 games, which could have a serious impact on Denver's position in the loaded Western Conference.
"Tonight my mind will wander," Adelman said. "And it'll wander about what we have to do going forward if he is out for a while or for a long time."
Could Jokic injury deny NBA fans best season ever by a single player?
Jokic entered Monday averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists - well on his way to a triple-double average for the second consecutive season.
For context, that's more points per game than Shaquille O'Neal's best ever NBA season, more rebounds per game than Karl Malone's best ever NBA season and more assists per game than Jason Kidd's best NBA season.
"He's not just a big part of what we do, but almost everything that we do," Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said. "We just want to see him healthy and everybody in here is ready to step up."
The Nuggets have dealt with some major injury issues this season and were playing Monday without three would-be starters - Christian Braun (left ankle sprain), Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain) and Cam Johnson (right knee injury management). Denver has managed its way through those - thanks, in large part, to their talisman.
The efficiency displayed by Jokic has also been something to savour, as he is significantly above his career average in all categories - shooting 60.4 per cent from the field, 44 per cent from 3-point range (a career best) and 85.5 per cent on free throws.
With multiple starters out injured, his contributions have been the driving force behind the Nuggets sitting third in the Western Conference and he had a fourth MVP award squarely in his sights, an accomplishment that would draw him level with LeBron James and just one behind Michael Jordan - with still many years left in the tank.
He also continues to raise the bar, regularly.
As recently as Christmas Day, the seven-time NBA All-Star became the first player in NBA history to record 55+ points, 15+ rebounds and 15+ assists in a game.
Not just that, but he broke Stephen Curry's record of 17 overtime points from 2016, making it the highest by any player in regular season or NBA playoffs.
"The things that he's doing this year are really remarkable," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before Monday's game.
Jokic has also been remarkably durable over his NBA career and has played in all 32 of Denver's games this season. Overall, he has missed incredibly games over the last five seasons and has only played fewer than 70 games just once in his NBA career, with the exception being the 2022-23 season when he played 69.
Jamal Murray will be the only member of Denver's starting five available for Wednesday's game against the Toronto Raptors, so his team will have an obvious need to ensure that he's healthy as soon as possible.
For fans of the league as a whole, though, there is also a swell of support online from followers of different NBA teams, on social media platforms wishing Jokic all the best and hoping to see him back on court healthy as soon as possible.
Nobody wants to be looking back at his MVP candidacy and astounding numbers this year, a few years into the future, contemplating what might have been.
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