Nikola Jokic injury, knee issue: “There is concern”
Nikola Jokic was forced to stop against the Miami Heat due to a left knee injury. An MRI is on the way and could change the present and future of the Nuggets
A night to forget for the Denver Nuggets in Miami. Not only a heavy loss to the Heat, but above all the early exit from the court of Nikola Jokic, who was forced to leave the floor limping shortly before halftime because of a left knee injury.
The Serbian center did not return for the second half, and Denver’s medical staff has already scheduled an MRI to clarify his condition.
An unavoidable step, as head coach David Adelman explained after the game:
There is concern. He immediately realized that something wasn’t right. In these cases you don’t get definitive answers right away, you have to follow the procedures
David Adelman
The dynamics of the injury
The incident occurred just seconds before the end of the second quarter. Jokic was alone under the basket, ready to help Spencer Jones on Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s 1vs1. While trying to recover his position, Jones stepped back onto his teammate’s left foot: Jokic’s knee buckled slightly and the Serbian went down, immediately clutching his leg.
Helped back to his feet, he headed to the locker room under his own power, but with a noticeable limp. After the initial medical evaluations, he left the arena while the team prepared for the trip to Toronto, where Denver will face the Raptors.
Not by chance, Adelman openly admitted his concern:
It’s a gut-wrenching feeling, especially when it happens to such a special player. As a coach, you immediately think about what to do if he has to miss some time
David Adelman
The possibility of an extended absence would be a devastating blow. Even just one month out would mean about 16 games, an enormous number in an extremely competitive Western Conference.
His importance was summed up perfectly by Jamal Murray:
He’s not just a fundamental part of what we do. He’s almost everything. The only thing we want is to see him healthy
Jamal Murray
There is also a stat that makes the alarm even clearer: over the last five seasons, Jokic has missed only 36 games, and Denver went 13–23 in those contests.
Now all eyes are on the test results.