MIAMI (AP) — Denver star Nikola Jokic was having another brilliant game: 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the first half, with behind-the-back passes to set up scores and generally doing whatever he wanted.
Then came one misstep from a teammate with about three seconds left until halftime — and now, the Nuggets wait to see how bad the news might be.
Jokic limped off the court in Miami on Monday night, after appearing to hurt his left knee just before the intermission and going to the floor in obvious pain. He was not on the floor for the second half and the results of an MRI will determine what happens in the coming days and weeks.
“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.”
If Jokic misses any significant time, it would be a massive blow to Denver and in some respects to the entire NBA given how he’s considered 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 standing 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.”
Jokic is a three-time MVP and certainly was in the early MVP conversation this season, having 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.
“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.”
Jokic has also been remarkably durable. He has missed 36 games over the last five seasons; the Nuggets have gone 13-23 in those absences. He has played in all 32 of Denver’s games this season.
“Hoping for the best,” Adelman said.
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 it seemed the center’s knee buckled a bit.
Jokic collapsed to the court, grabbing at the knee. He was helped to his feet, then 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 and the Nuggets were scheduled to fly to Toronto on Tuesday for a game against the Raptors on Wednesday.
“It’s just part of this process,” Adelman said. “You don’t get definitive answers right after these things happen. I know he’s an extremely special player that people want updates on right away; makes total sense to me. But we’ll go through the process properly, for him and for our team.”
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 Jokic.
“The things that he’s doing this year,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before Monday’s game, “are really remarkable.”
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