Once again, Nikola Jokic is having an MVP-caliber season for the Denver Nuggets. Currently 33-15 on the season, the Nuggets are right near the top of the Western Conference standings, a familiar spot to where they were a season ago. On Wednesday night, Denver will go up against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a young team that has beaten the reigning NBA champions two out of three times this season and also resides at the top of the conference standings.
The winner of Wednesday night’s game in Oklahoma City may very well walk away with the season tiebreaker, which could drastically impact the playoff picture in the West ahead of the postseason. After falling 119-93 at home in their previous matchup against the Thunder last month, the Nuggets enter this game with some added motivation.
However, whether or not they will have Jokic for this pivotal game is unclear after the two-time MVP popped up on the team’s injury report. As of Wednesday morning, Jokic finds himself listed as questionable to play due to low back pain. In the team’s previous game against the Milwaukee Bucks, a game the Nuggets won 113-107, Jokic recorded 25 points, 16 rebounds, and 12 assists in 40 total minutes. This marked the first time since November that Jokic eclipsed the 40-minute mark in a game.
The one thing Denver always seems to get from their superstar big man outside of his gaudy numbers is durability. Jokic has not missed a game since November 27 against the Los Angeles Clippers. In fact, this is the only game the Serbian big man has missed all season. Compared to Philadelphia 76ers reigning MVP Joel Embiid, Jokic’s consistent availability is one of the reasons why he has a chance to win his third MVP award.
Obviously, his stats play a major role in this as well. To this point in the season, Jokic has averaged 26.3 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game while shooting 58.5 percent from the floor.
Jokic is not the type of player to miss games due to soreness or minor ailments, which is why his questionable status is not all that alarming to the Nuggets. Given the nature of this game against the Thunder and where the two teams reside in the standings, it would come as a surprise if the Nuggets did not have their now six-time All-Star available.
Both Jokic and Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander find themselves in the mix for the MVP award this season. Given Embiid’s string of injuries as of late, Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander appear to be the new favorites for the end-of-season award. The Thunder star is also questionable for this matchup due to an undisclosed illness.
The Nuggets will provide further clarity on Jokic’s status as the day progresses.
Source link