As the Denver Nuggets await the return of Nikola Jokic, the superstar big man is growing increasingly impatient with the recovery process. In arguably the first major setback of his career, Jokic is navigating unfamiliar territory as he takes it one day at a time.
“He said it’s day-to-day with the effort level and stuff,” said Nuggets coach David Adelman after Friday’s game. “He lifts to see where he’s at. I think it’s more about what he feels like the next day than about what he feels like while doing something. Because that’s the barometer: how you feel after putting effort in and pushing his body a little bit.”
Jokic, 30, hasn’t played since December 29, when he hyperextended his knee against the Miami Heat. He was given a four-week recovery window, and recent evidence suggests he could return within the next three weeks. It’s not soon enough for the Joker, who is enduring one of the longest absences of his career.
“I know he’s antsy, he’s never been hurt, and we all know what that’s like. If you’ve ever played sports and got hurt, the worst part is just sitting around, and that’s somebody who never misses games. I was telling my staff that I understand the 65-game rule, but a guy who never misses games for a decade, it bothers me a little bit. This is not somebody that’s sitting out.”
Jokic was having an MVP season for the Nuggets, with averages of 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game on 60.5% shooting and 43.5% shooting from three. Sadly, however, he’ll be disqualified from awards due to the NBA’s new 65-game minimum rule.
More importantly, the Nuggets need Jokic back on the floor to avoid sliding into the play-in. After tonight’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks, they are just 2.5 games in front of the seventh-seeded Suns. With his absence expected to last for a few more games, at least, the Nuggets need to do what they can to stay afloat until his return.
With Jamal Murray playing well and Aaron Gordon back in the lineup, things are getting easier for Denver, but they will not risk Jokic’s long-term health for the sake of saving this season. For now, it’s just a waiting game as the process plays out and Jokic returns to full strength.
After tonight’s game, the Nuggets continue their homestand against the Bucks on Sunday before traveling to New Orleans to face the Pelicans. They play the Mavericks the next night as the second part of a back-to-back set.
