Jokic Injury, the Possible Scenarios

In Miami, overnight, the Denver Nuggets coached by David Adelman suffered their tenth loss of the season, but the real concern for the Colorado franchise is Nikola Jokic’s knee injury.

The Serbian center was escorted to the locker room shortly before halftime due to what immediately appeared to be a potentially serious knee injury.

According to Brian Sutterer, a U.S.-based sports medicine physician well known for his analyses of NBA injuries, the replay of the play makes it possible to outline three different scenarios regarding Jokic’s knee injury.

While waiting for imaging results, assessments are based solely on the mechanics of the movement and the visible signs during the game – elements that allow for a range of possible outcomes, from a simple contusion to more complex situations, though currently considered less likely.

Best-case scenario: simple contusion and limited absence

Although the initial impressions from fans and the coaching staff were not encouraging, optimism has increased in recent hours, also thanks to statements from several medical experts.

Many are leaning toward what would be the best-case scenario for both the franchise and the player: a “simple” bone contusion caused by knee hyperextension.

Overall, this appears to be a low-grade, low-severity hyperextension. Watching the replay, there isn’t excessive movement either inward or outward. Another positive aspect is that no one directly hits [Jokic] on the knee pushing it backward, and the incident did not occur while he was running

Brian Sutterer

Intermediate scenario: hyperextension to be monitored

Even though the replay shows slight contact between Jokic and Spencer Jones, experts believe it did not decisively affect the mechanics of the Serbian player’s leg.

It remains a situation that must be evaluated carefully, especially while awaiting imaging tests, which are essential to rule out complications that are not immediately visible.

It should be remembered that knee hyperextension can also cause significant tears, such as to the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament. In this case, however, I believe there are more positive elements than negative ones for the prognosis

Brian Sutterer

Worst-case scenario: ligament involvement

Again according to Brian Sutterer, a well-known sports medicine expert, at this stage it would be possible to rule out injuries to the main knee ligaments, favoring instead a contusion that would require only a few weeks of recovery. Nevertheless, this remains the least desirable scenario, tied to potential deeper damage that could emerge only after further examinations.

Overall, the picture remains open to multiple interpretations: the most favorable scenario would limit Nikola Jokic’s absence to one or two weeks due to a bone contusion, while the most serious would involve the anterior cruciate ligament, an outcome that would keep him out until the end of the season. The indications that have emerged so far do not yet allow for definitive conclusions, but they clearly define the range of possibilities.

Just days before the start of 2026, concern within the Nuggets organization is understandable. Recent expert evaluations and the clinical history of the three-time MVP, however, leave room for cautious optimism: fans may soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief.