Nikola Jokic returns from his injury against the Clippers after a 16-game absence
Denver Nuggets superstar center and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokicwho missed 16 straight games after suffered a left knee hyperextension and a bone bruisehe is expected to return and play Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Jokić was recently upgraded to probable on the team’s injury report, and ESPN reports he plans to return in Denver on Friday night and also plays on Sunday in a highly anticipated game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Nuggets have been without their superstar center since Dec. 29, when Spencer Jones stepped back on Jokic’s left leg as the center moved to defend Heat center Kel’el Ware. As his left knee buckled and extended backwards, Jokic immediately fell to the ground, clutching his knee in great pain.
An MRI of Jokic’s knee revealed no structural damage, but he suffered a bone bruise that forced him to sit up a few weeks earlier. increasing their activities on the training ground.
Not only is this great news for the Nuggets, who are halfway behind the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, but it’s also great news for Jokic and his chances to still eligible for the MVP award and another All-NBA selection.
Jokic has missed 16 games with the injury, making him one game shy of the maximum number of games a player can miss to remain eligible for season-ending honors. A player must play in at least 65 games during the regular season to be eligible, meaning he can only miss 17 games.
It remains to be seen whether Jokic with this threshold can stay in good position for the remaining 33 games on Denver’s schedule after Friday night, but this is certainly great news for the Nuggets and their hopes of winning another championship.
This is another great season from Jokic, as he currently leads the league in assists, rebounds and triple-doubles (16). In 32 games, Jokic averaged 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game, while shooting 60.5 percent from the floor and 43.5 percent from 3-point range.
Jokic is now back on the field after missing 16 games, the most he has missed in a single season. The Nuggets went 10-6 without their superstar center.
2026-01-30 19:24:00
