Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic has been diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee and will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks, the team announced Tuesday.
Nikola Jokic Could Return In February
If Jokic misses at least a month, this timetable means the three-time NBA MVP would be sidelined for about 16 games but could potentially come back before February’s All-Star Game.
It’s unclear whether Jokic will be able to make his return after four weeks, as Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints suggests the 30-year-old could end up missing six to eight weeks.
The 6-foot-11 Jokic sustained the knee injury with about three seconds left in the first half of Denver’s 147-123 loss to the Miami Heat on Monday night.
Just in: Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic has been diagnosed with a hyperextension in his left knee and will miss at least four weeks. An immense sigh of relief as tests show the three-time NBA MVP’s knee ligaments are intact. pic.twitter.com/u8qLE0GDd3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 30, 2025
Jokic 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 big man’s knee appeared to buckle. Jokic fell to the court, grabbing at the knee. He was helped to his feet, then limped his way off the court to the locker room under his own power.
He finished with 21 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in just 19 minutes of action.
Jokic Leads NBA In Rebounds, Assists
Jokic entered Tuesday ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring this season (29.6 points per game), in addition to leading the league with averages of 12.2 rebounds and 11 assists per outing.
According to Basketball Reference, Jokic currently leads the league in total rebounds (389), defensive boards (292), assists (351), and true shooting percentage (71.3%). He ranks second in points (948) as well.
Per ESPN Stats & Information, the only other player in NBA history to average at least 12 rebounds and 11 assists throughout a full season was Oscar Robertson for the Cincinnati Royals in 1961-62.
“Obviously, it’s part of the game,” Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said Monday night after the game. “But we never want to see it happen. … Next man up. We’ve got to focus on what’s in here.”
Jokic has yet to miss a single game this season, which means the seven-time All-Star can sit out up to 17 games and still be eligible for postseason awards and honors.
However, no one knows for sure just how many games he’ll miss.
If Jokic becomes ineligible for postseason awards, his streak of seven consecutive All-NBA appearances would come to an end, along with a stretch of five straight years finishing either first or second in MVP voting.
The Nuggets have five games left on a seven-game road trip, one that resumes Wednesday when Denver visits the Toronto Raptors. The team is 13-23 over the past five seasons when Jokic isn’t in the lineup.
