Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic suffered a worrying left knee injury and did not return for the second half of Monday night’s 147-123 loss to the Miami Heat.
Jokic was dominant before the setback, piling up 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the first half while controlling the game with his usual mix of vision, scoring and creativity.
The incident occurred with just seconds remaining before halftime. As Jokic moved to help defend a drive by Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., teammate Spencer Jones accidentally stepped on Jokic’s left foot while backtracking. Jokic’s knee appeared to buckle, and he went down immediately, clutching the knee in visible pain.
The three-time MVP was helped to his feet and walked to the locker room under his own power, but did not return after the break. Denver did not provide an immediate update on the severity of the injury.
Any absence would be a major concern for the Nuggets. Jokic entered the game averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists, firmly in the early MVP conversation and on pace for a second straight season averaging a triple-double.
Denver has already been battling injuries, playing without Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson on Monday. The Nuggets have stayed competitive largely due to Jokic’s performances.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had praised Jokic before the game, calling his play this season “remarkable.”
