The Denver Nuggets have been flying this season as they currently sit third in the Western Conference with an impressive 22-10 record, and huge credit for this obviously goes to Nikola Jokic. The Serbian superstar has been playing at an elite level thus far this season. As a result of this, when he entered the court yesterday against the Miami Heat, the expectations were off the roof.

However, within the first half of the game, where the Nuggets were supposed to lead, tragedy struck. Jokic collided with his own teammate and fell to the ground. Soon, everyone saw him limp off the court. Meanwhile, Norman Powell powered the Heat to an impressive 147-123 win against the Nuggets. Since then, Denver’s fanbase has held its breath collectively awaiting an update. So, what’s the latest?

What exactly is Nikola Jokic’s injury?

At first, many suspected that the three-time MVP had suffered an ACL tear. However, that’s not the case, as ESPN’s Shams Charania has given a massive update on Nikola Jokic, and it should give the fans a huge relief.

“Just in: Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic has been diagnosed with a hyperextension in his left knee and will miss at least four weeks. An immense sigh of relief as tests show the three-time NBA MVP’s knee ligaments are intact,” he wrote on X.

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Jokic has avoided an ACL tear, which could’ve sidelined him for not just a few games but the entire remainder of the season. That’s massive news, obviously, as the Nuggets rely heavily on the Serbian big man. Still, not having him for four weeks will take a toll on the storied franchise, so what do they have to say about his absence?

What has the Nuggets revealed about Nikola Jokic’s injury?

“All I know is that Jokic has a left knee injury, and he needs to go through the process of what it is. Immediately, he knew something was wrong,” Nuggets’ head coach David Adelman said after the game. “This is part of the NBA. Anyone who gets hurt, it’s gut-wrenching. Especially somebody as special as he is.”

“We’ll find out more tomorrow and move on as a team. I’m more concerned about him as a person and the disappointment of going through something like that. It’s unfortunate, and we’re hoping for the best. We have to stay with it to best support our teammates who are out and honor them when they play. It sucks, but hoping for the best.”

The Nuggets’ head coach seemed as clueless about the injury as everyone else after Monday’s matchup. Since then, there has been no official update from Adelman or the Nuggets. However, Shams Charania has finally provided a massive update on him. Having said that, will the Joker return in just four weeks?

When will Nikola Jokic return?

Although Shams Charania has stated that Nikola Jokic, if all goes well, will miss only four weeks of action, what if it doesn’t? There’s a slight chance that the Denver superstar might not recover in time. Well, then that timeline could increase. Hopefully that’s not the case. Nonetheless, if all goes well, Jokic should be back around the time the Nuggets face the Grizzlies or the Pistons late in January.

Now, with that out of the way, probably the biggest question is how the Nuggets manage his absence?

How will the Nuggets manage Nikola Jokic’s absence?

It goes without saying that the Denver Nuggets won’t be the same team without Nikola Jokic, regardless of the amount of time he spends on the sidelines. So, they’ll just have to take it on the chin and hope he returns as soon as possible, which could be four weeks. However, thanks to the moves they’ve made throughout the offseason, Denver could be much better than expected.

That’s because Jonas Valanciunas is a pretty decent backup option and can manage to hold the water until Nikola Jokic’s return. So far, he’s averaged 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists this season. While these are no eye-turning numbers, the 33-year-old is a pretty solid center and will improve these numbers with an increase in minutes.

Meanwhile, other players will also need to step up in Jokic’s absence to further help the team stay afloat. Players like Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and others will need to bring their best to the table in order to help their team. In the meantime, we keep a close eye on any developments in the situation revolving around Nikola Jokic.