MIAMI — Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic left the court limping at halftime of Monday night’s 147-123 loss to the Miami Heat after hurting his left knee in the final seconds of the second quarter.
Jokic did not return for the second half and is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Tuesday.
“He knew right away that something wasn’t right,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said after the game. “That’s the reality of the NBA. Injuries are tough, especially when it’s someone as important as he is. We’ll know more tomorrow. Right now, my main concern is him as a person and how difficult moments like this can be.”
The injury occurred when Jokic moved toward the basket to help defend Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. As time expired in the half, teammate Spencer Jones stepped on Jokic’s left foot while backpedaling, causing Jokic’s knee to appear to give way.
Jokic fell to the floor clutching his knee before being helped up. He walked to the locker room on his own but with a noticeable limp. He was examined by team doctors Monday night before leaving the arena. Denver is set to fly to Toronto on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Raptors.
“You don’t get instant answers with these situations,” Adelman said. “People want updates immediately because of who he is, and that’s understandable. But we’ll handle this the right way, for him and for the team.”
The Nuggets have already dealt with multiple injuries this season and were without Christian Braun (left ankle), Aaron Gordon (right hamstring) and Cameron Johnson (right knee) on Monday.
Despite those setbacks, Denver has stayed competitive largely because of Jokic’s performance.
“What he’s doing this year is incredible,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game.
Jokic finished the first half with 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Any extended absence would be a significant setback for Denver and could impact the Western Conference race. A month-long layoff would potentially sideline him for around 16 games.
“My mind will definitely be racing tonight,” Adelman admitted. “Thinking about what adjustments we’d need to make if he’s out for any length of time.”
The three-time MVP entered the season as an early candidate for the award once again, averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists per game heading into Monday — putting him on pace for a second straight triple-double season.
“He’s not just a big part of what we do — he’s central to it,” guard Jamal Murray said. “We just want him healthy, and everyone here is ready to step up.”
Jokic has been one of the league’s most durable players, missing just 36 games over the past five seasons. Denver has gone 13-23 without him during that span. He had played in all 32 games this season prior to Monday.
“We’re hoping for the best,” Adelman said.
