The Denver Nuggets held their breath last night as franchise superstar and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic went down with a scary knee injury against the Miami Heat.
While initial reports believed Jokic could have suffered a torn ACL, new reports indicate that the star likely suffered a hyperextension, which, while still serious, clearly isn’t as bad as tearing the major knee ligament.
After the game, Miami big man Bam Adebayo discussed his thoughts on Jokic’s injury and how he feels about competing against the 2023 Finals MVP as two of the best centers in the NBA.
“It’s always fun playing against him. You see how he makes his teammates better, you see the greatness,” Adebayo said after the Heat beat the Nuggets amid the scary Jokic injury. “One thing I like about it is competition at the end of the day. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t really flop, and I truly respect that because – well, I’m not gonna say flop, foul baiting.”
Most notably, Adebayo and Jokic matched up in the 2023 NBA Finals, a series that the Nuggets took in five games. On the season, Jokic is averaging a staggering 29.6 points (5th), 12.2 rebounds (1st), and 11 assists (1st) on 60.5% (8th) shooting while leading Denver to a 22-10 record to start the year.
Bam Adebayo’s Comments On Nikola Jokic Injury
While Jokic’s injury dominated headlines of the Nuggets-Heat game, Adebayo made sure to say that he had respect for the center after he limped off the floor with the injury caused by a collision with Denver teammate Spencer Jones.
“Obviously, you hate to see guys go out,” Adebayo added. “But you got to figure out how you can keep your team [with their] foot on the gas, and keep trying to get this W.”
As mentioned, initial reports indicated that Jokic had potentially torn his ACL. However, new updates from Serbian media outlet Meridian Sports painted a different picture.
“As Meridian Sport unofficially learns from sources close to Denver, the first forecasts in Colorado are encouraging when it comes to Nikola Jokić’s injury,” Đorđe Matić reported.
“Namely, the first indications are that it was a case of hyperextension and that no serious damage occurred…Of course, we have to wait for the official medical report, but judging by the initial reactions, the best basketball player in the world could avoid a long break.”
Throughout the first ten seasons of his illustrious NBA career, Jokic has never suffered a major injury, playing in at least 69 games every year. There is still no update on an official diagnosis or return timeline, but for now, it looks like Jokic and the Nuggets narrowly avoided a catastrophic injury.
Jamal Murray Will Need To Step Up For Denver
While Jokic is potentially sidelined for a bit, Jamal Murray, Denver’s point guard, will take the brunt of the offensive responsibility for the team going forward. Both he and the big man already had a lot on their plate with the injuries to Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon, and Christian Braun, but now, Murray will have to do even more for the Nuggets.
Speaking on his show, Run It Back on FanDuel TV, former NBA player Lou Williams echoed that statement, saying that with Murray, the Nuggets are going to have to find a new identity going forward with a favorable upcoming schedule.
“Jamal Murray is going to have to be the guy to step up and be that [Jokic replacement],” Williams said. “The Nuggets are going to have to find a new identity until Nikola Jokic is back on the floor.”
Luckily for Denver, the latest updates on Gordon and Braun could be promising.
According to Katy Winge of Altitude Sports TV, Nuggets head coach David Adelman said the team is ‘Hoping at the back end of this road trip we see them.’
Denver is on the road on the East coast for the next few games, with contests against Toronto, Cleveland, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Boston, and if they could get back either Gordon or Braun during that stretch, it would come as a major help until they get a full injury update and return timeline for Jokic.
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