Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić is set to miss at least the next four weeks and will likely be ineligible for MVP consideration after suffering a hyperextended left knee duringMonday night's loss to the Miami Heat, according toESPN's Shams Charania.
Jokić exited the game late in the first half after injuring his left knee and did not return. He stepped awkwardly and his left knee buckled while standing in the paint in the final seconds. Teammate Spencer Jones stepped back on Jokić's foot as he was trying to guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., and that's when Jokić's knee buckled.
He instantly fell to the ground after the bad step and started rolling around in pain while grabbing his left knee as Kel'el Ware made an easy layup, which tied the game at the break. Jokić eventually stood up and walked to the locker room on his own, but he was limping significantly and barely put any weight on his left leg as he did so.
Full replay video of Nikola Jokic's injury and how he limped off the court to the Nuggets locker room.Spencer Jones stepped on his left foot and Jokic hyperextended his left knee right before halftime in Miami.pic.twitter.com/ChhnTxcjn1
— Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg)December 30, 2025
Jokić did not start the second half, and he was listed as questionable to return before being ruled out. He finished with 21 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds
"This is part of the NBA. Anyone who gets hurt, it's gut-wrenching," said Nuggets head coach David Adelman afterward. "Especially somebody as special as he is. We'll find out more tomorrow, and move on as a team. I'm more concerned about him as a person and the disappointment of going through something like that. It's unfortunate, and we're hoping for the best."
Jokić has managed to stay relatively healthy throughout his 11-season NBA career, having played at least 69 games in every season since breaking into the league in 2015-16.
A four-week absence could see Jokić miss around 16-18 games and return in late January. He's played in all 32 games for the Nuggets this season, but missing 18 games would put the three-time MVP below the 65-game threshold for league awards and would make him ineligible for MVP consideration this season.
The Nuggets are 22-10 andsit in third place in the Western Conference. They begin life without the game's best player on Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors.
Fantasy basketball impact
Before we get into it, the fantasy community is breathing a sigh of relief. The injury comes on the heels of Jokić posting the most prolific fantasy performance of the season, dropping 108 High Score points after demolishing Minnesota on Christmas Day. Because the injury occurred after Week 10 rankings locked, Jokić holds steady in this week's update. But for managers scrambling to fill that void, Jonas Valančiūnas is the clear next-man-up add. He'll absorb a steady diet of frontcourt minutes and touches while Jokić is sidelined. —Dan Titus
