Is Nikola Jokic Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Lakers vs. Nuggets)

Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic has not played since Dec. 29 due to a knee injury, and he will remain out of the lineup on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Last week, ESPN's Shams Charania gave a positive update n Jokic, as he's returned to on-court workouts, a sign that he could return around the four-week timeline that was initially set after he went down against the Miami Heat.

Denver's Nikola Jokic has resumed on-court workouts in rehab from knee injury -- the latest on the three-time MVP for NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/MqbWLcSazg
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 14, 2026

The Nuggets have been able to survive without the three-time league MVP, going 6-4 in their 10 games without him since the injury. That's a huge win for Denver, as the team has struggled with Jokic in the past, and it usually has scary on/off numbers when the star is on the bench.

Despite that, oddsmakers at DraftKings aren't giving the Nuggets much love at home against this Lakers team. Denver is a 2.5-point home underdog, even though the Lakers haven't exactly played great as of late. Los Angeles is just 5-5 in its last 10 games and has fallen to the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference.

With Jokic out, the Nuggets are going to lean more on Jamal Murray on offense, but Denver isn't only down Jokic in this matchup. Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun have also been ruled out for this matchup as well as big man Jonas Valanciunas.

So, it makes sense that the Nuggets are facing a bit of an uphill battle against another playoff-caliber team in the West.

This season, Jokic is averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and11.0 assists per game while shooting 60.5 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from 3. If he's able to meet the four-week timeline, Jokic will have a chance to return in late January or early February for Denver.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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