Stuart Hodge
Nikola Jokic limped off at the end of the first half of Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat and did not appear for the second half; Jokic and the Nuggets now await the results of an MRI scan to determine the severity of the injury
Last Updated: 30/12/25 8:56am
Jokic has been having another sensational season with the Nuggets
Nikola Jokic went down with an injury to his left knee in the first half of the Denver Nuggets’ defeat to the Miami Heat and now fans face a nervous wait to see the extent of the damage.
An MRI scan will now determine just how much time the Serbian superstar is set to miss.
The three-time NBA MVP was having another brilliant game at Kaseya Center with 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the first half, demonstrating his typical flair with behind-the-back passes to set up scores and by generally doing whatever he wanted.
Then came one misstep from a team-mate, with about three seconds left until halftime, and Jokic’s knee buckled.
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 the center collapsed to the court, grabbing at the knee.
He limped off the court, did not play at all in the second half and the Nuggets did not immediately release any news on the severity of the injury.
“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.”
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Highlights of the Christmas Day game between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves as Nikola Jokic makes NBA history with a 56-point triple-double
Following the injury, Jokic 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 with the Nuggets scheduled to fly to Toronto on Tuesday for a game against the Raptors on Wednesday.
If Jokic misses any significant time, it would be a massive blow to Denver and in some respects to the entire NBA given his standing as 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 position 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 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.
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