The injury bug has once again come for the Denver Nuggets, this time taking down its centerpiece. Nikola Jokic went down against Denver’s loss to the Miami Heat one night ago. The good news is that The Joker only suffered a left knee hyperextension and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, leaving Denver fans to breathe a sigh of relief.
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The bad news is that it’s still four weeks without the current MVP frontrunner out of the league. Denver, who was already missing Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, and Christian Braun, will now have to find a way to rally without the man who has carried the franchise on his back.
And unfortunately, the West has never been more competitive, and teams like Houston, the Lakers, and the Timberwolves already smell blood in the water. One person who is incredibly bummed out by Jokic’s injury is Tracy McGrady. The Hall of Famer spoke on the latest edition of NBA on NBC how big of a hit this will be for not just Denver, but the league as a whole.
“This is my favorite player to watch. If I paid money to watch a player, I’m paying money to watch Jokic. He’s that phenomenal as a basketball player,” began T-Mac. That statement is indeed seconded. Jokic has been lights out this year, particularly in his Christmas Day carry job, when he dropped 50+ points in a triple-double dazzler to lead his team over Minnesota.
It was here that McGrady dropped the hammer on what this means for the Nuggs, and how the mantle falls to Jamal Murray. “This is a devastating blow to their team because you’re talking about the frontrunner for MVP without three of their starters already and you missing him, now it’s going to put the onus on Jamal Murray to do a little bit more to keep them afloat.”
Murray is very capable of providing some magic in the Joker’s absence, but whether he can translate his excellent play to wins remains to be seen. T-Mac agrees. “I could see this team dropping about 4 or 5 slots because of where they at in the standings and the teams that are behind them will gain some ground,” he stated. Right now they are 3rd only behind the Thunder and the Spurs. Problem is that Houston and LA have the same number of losses with less games played.
It’s not all pessimism though. McGrady thinks that along with Murray, other guys will step up and take on bigger roles for the team. “This gives these guys an opportunity to gain some confidence. To build up who they are as basketball players and try to do more. You’re going to have a bigger role, let’s see if they can handle it.”
Denver’s first Jokic-less test will occur in 24 hours when they travel to Toronto to battle the Raptors, who are chasing 3rd place in the East. It won’t be easy, especially with how rowdy the Canadian b-ball fanbase has become since the Raptors started looking competitive.
Life without Jokic is uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and unforgiving, especially in a Western Conference where every night feels like a playoff game. This stretch will test Denver’s system, Jamal Murray’s leadership, and the Nuggets’ depth in a way they haven’t faced in years.
If they can just stay afloat until The Joker returns, this injury will be remembered as a scare, not a turning point. If not, the standings won’t wait, and Denver could find itself clawing just to get back to where it once felt secure.
