Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets were on the road Monday evening to face the Heat. It was the second of seven consecutive road games. Jokic was dominating in the first half.
The 30-year-old had 21 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. However, Nikola Jokic injured his knee right before halftime. He immediately fell to the ground in pain, holding his knee. Eventually, Jokic limped off the court and is set to have an MRI on Tuesday. If the three-time MVP misses time, who will step up for Denver?
Can one singular player replace the production of Nikola Jokic?
Nikola Jokic
Left knee injury
Best case scenario this is a bone bruise due to a hyper extension.
Worse case, but very possible, is that this is an ACL tear.
Hoping for the best 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/2ZF8T2bvuF
— Jesse Morse, M.D. (@DrJesseMorse) December 30, 2025
After a second straight loss on Monday, the Nuggets are 22-10 in 2025-26. That is third in the Western Conference. Additionally, Denver is 6-4 in their last 10 games. At this point in the season, the Nuggets are dealing with several injuries to key starters. Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun have missed significant time in 2025-26. On top of that, Cam Johnson has been ruled out for 4-6 weeks due to a knee injury.
Against the Heat, Denver’s MVP center, Nikola Jokic, suffered a knee injury right before halftime. Jokic did not return to the game and is set to have an MRI on Tuesday. Medical professionals online say the best-case scenario is that Jokic suffered a bone bruise due to hyperextension in his knee. That would be roughly a one-to-three weeks injiury. The worst-case scenario is that Jokic suffered an ACL tear. We’ll know more on Tuesday.
David Adelman provided an update on Nikola Jokic’s injury after the Nuggets’ loss to the Heat. pic.twitter.com/k7BDPHsjYB
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 30, 2025
If the 30-year-old is set to miss time, who will step up for the Nuggets? Given the fact that Jokic plays center, the arrow immediately points to backup big man Jonas Valanciunas. He’s played in 31 of Denver’s 32 games in 2025-26. All of his appearances have come off the bench. With Jokic likely set to miss some time, Valanciunas will see an increased role.
However, the 33-year-old center knows he is not the same player as Nikola Jokic. He’s averaging 8.2 points per game this season. That number will increase if Jokic suffers a long-term injury. The Nuggets will also need Jamal Murray to play at an all-star level to keep the Nuggets competitive in the West. He’s averaging 25.4 points and 6.8 assists per game.
Those are both second on the team to Jokic. Nuggets fans will be waiting with bated breath to hear the injury news of their All-NBA center. Head coach David Adelam said Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun will return sometime during Denver’s seven-game road trip. Reinforcements are on the way.
