Nikola Jokic sent a chill through the NBA world this week, then just as quickly brought a collective sigh of relief. The scary moment happened when Spencer Jones fell on Jokic’s leg. And his leg bent unnaturally, and the Denver Nuggets superstar went down awkwardly after his left knee appeared to hyperextend.
For a few seconds, the NBA world came to a standstill. Teammates, coaches, fans in the arena, and around the world held their breath as this injury seemed catastrophic.
Thankfully, early indications suggest it was not.
According to Meridian Sport, a Serbian sports media outlet, Jokic suffered a hyperextension in his left knee with no signs of ligament or structural damage. While the official medical report is yet to be released, the sources close to the Nuggets suggest a best-case scenario.
If confirmed, Jokic may have narrowly avoided a season-altering injury during what has been one of the most dominant individual campaigns the NBA has ever seen.
Hyperextensions vary wildly in severity. In mild cases with no ligament involvement, players can return in two to four weeks. If there is a partial ligament strain or bone bruise, timelines stretch to six or eight weeks. The nightmare scenario is a torn ACL or PCL, which would mean six to eight months and effectively end the season. Right now, all signs suggest Jokic avoided that outcome.
For Denver, that matters more than almost anything else in the league.
Jokic is averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11.0 assists this season while shooting over 60.5% from the field and better than 43.5% from three. He leads the league in assists and rebounds, sits near the top in scoring, and has been putting together statistical stretches that have never existed before. This is not just another MVP-level season. It is a season that invites comparisons with the best peaks of Shaquille O’Neal, Larry Bird, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
He has also been remarkably durable throughout his career. Jokic has played at least 69 games in every season since his debut, a rare feat for a modern superstar, especially one carrying as much usage and physical responsibility as he does. That reliability has been the backbone of Denver’s consistency and its championship hopes.
The Nuggets currently sit 3rd in the West with a record of 22-10, and their entire identity revolves around Jokic’s availability. Even a short absence forces Denver to reinvent its offense. A long absence would completely reshape the West. That is why this moment felt so heavy and why the relief now feels so real.
If the diagnosis holds and Jokic only misses a few weeks, Denver will be cautious. There is no incentive to rush him back, especially with the postseason in mind. The Nuggets have learned, like everyone else, that health in April and May matters more than January wins.
For now, the basketball world waits for confirmation, but optimism is justified. Nikola Jokic may have dodged the worst outcome possible, preserving not only Denver’s season but one of the most extraordinary individual runs the game has ever seen. In a league where knee injuries so often change careers, this one appears to have stopped just short of disaster.
