Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is one of the two candidates at the front of this season’s race for the MVP award. Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have both had historic seasons, but as SGA continues to dominate the league, Jokic has been sidelined for the last three games due to an ankle injury.
Unfortunately, Jokic is also listed as out for Sunday’s matchup against the Houston Rockets and will miss his fourth straight contest.
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Nikola Jokic (ankle) listed out for Sunday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) March 22, 2025
The Nuggets have lost two straight games and are only 5-5 in their last 10, so SGA’s lead is growing larger with each game that Jokic misses and especially as the Nuggets fall down the standings.
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Not only does this spell bad news for Jokic’s MVP odds, it also is cause for concern about Denver going into the playoffs. If the playoffs began today, they would be matched up with the 5th-seed Grizzlies in the first round, which would be a tough matchup at the very least.
The Nuggets’ entire offensive system is centered around Jokic and an extended absence in the playoffs could put the Nuggets in deep waters. While an MVP trophy is likely the last thing on Jokic’s mind, the looming playoffs should be reason enough to work towards a strong recovery.
James Parker is an NBA writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
