Somehow, the Denver Nuggets have upset the basketball gods. Their injury roster keeps getting longer with every game they play. First, Aaron Gordon’s name went up, then Christian Braun, and Cam Johnson followed. Meanwhile, the biggest setback for Denver came in the form of Nikola Jokic’s left knee hyperextension vs. the Miami Heat on Monday.

But now, there’s another one: Jonas Valanciunas. The Nuggets center exited Wednesday’s win over the Toronto Raptors early after suffering a calf injury.

Valanciunas went down late in the third quarter and later said he felt a “pop” in his right calf. The backup big man was filling in Jokic’s shoes, joining the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Valanciunas played for 23 minutes and added 17 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and three blocks.

With Valanciunas sidelined, David Adelman rose. He rolled out compact units led by Peyton Watson, Spencer Jones, and DaRon Holmes II. Consequently, pace replaced size, driven by hustle, flow, and flexibility, summed up as “making do with what’s available.” Later, Adelman revealed Valanciunas exited in a walking boot, yet importantly, he left under his own power.

Well, the Denver Nuggets are now two centers down. Precisely with Nikola Jokic off the team, coach Adelman will have to design a strategy to hold on to the fort until the Serbian comes back in 4 weeks or so.

Nikola Jokic escapes ill-fate

Nikola Jokic exited the Kaseya Center on Monday after his left knee bent awkwardly, instantly sparking league-wide panic over a possible ACL scare. Thankfully, ESPN insider Shams Charania delivered a reassuring update on SportsCenter regarding the 30-year-old cornerstone. The NBA may have dodged another catastrophic blow, and hope now clearly outweighs fear.

“Jokic has avoided a season-ending injury,” Charania reported. “All of his ligaments are intact, and he will be back this season. He’s going to be reevaluated after one month. His rehab, I’m told, will consist of rest and treatment.”

Given his elite conditioning, an accelerated comeback remains realistic. Meanwhile, the NBA pauses, watching Nikola Jokic retreat briefly, muted yet nowhere near done. Before the setback, the Serbian force was torching the 2025-26 campaign with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists per night. He owned the MVP race comfortably. Now, however, that historic fourth trophy chase waits quietly, placed on hold by circumstance with the 65-game rule glaring.

Chaos now wears a Denver jersey. First, the helpers vanished, then Jokic paused, and now Valanciunas joined the list. Therefore, survival mode begins. Small lineups, restless energy, and belief take center stage. The wait feels heavy, yet hope refuses to sit down. Until the Joker returns, resilience becomes the Nuggets’ loudest weapon.

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