David Adelman Announces Update on Nikola Jokic's Injury Recovery

The Denver Nuggets saw their season flash before their eyes when Nikola Jokic went down with a knee injury, but after learning it was just a hyperextension, they were able to breathe a sigh of relief. Still, even though Jokic is only sidelined for about a month, his absence is monumental.

The Nuggets are 3-3 in six games without Jokic so far, which is surprisingly good, but they are now coming off a 23-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks, where they scored a season-low 87 points. Not only are the Nuggets anxious to get Jokic back on the floor before things go too south, but the three-time MVP is feeling the exact same way.

Before Friday's game against the Hawks, Nuggets head coach David Adelman gave insight into how Jokic is feeling early into his injury absence, along with a minor update on his recovery process.

"It's day-to-day with the effort-level stuff. He lifts to see where he's at. I think it's more about what he feels like the next day, more than what it feels like while he's doing something. That's the barometer. It's what you feel like after putting effort in, pushing his body a little bit. I know he's antsy. He's never been hurt... The worst part is just sitting around. And that's somebody who never misses games," Adelman said.

“I understand the 65 game rule, but a guy who NEVER misses games for a decade, it bothers me a little bit.”

“This is not somebody who sits out. He NEVER sits out.”

David Adelman on Nikola Jokic 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/wRKzjFO2Jq
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) January 10, 2026

The longest absence of Jokic's career

On top of being the best basketball player in the world, one of Jokic's best traits is his availability. Through the first ten seasons of his NBA career, Jokic has never missed more than 12 games, as he played a career-low 70 games last year. Now, as Jokic is expected to miss four weeks, he will likely miss around 16 games, which is unheard of for the Serbian center.

Jokic has never had an extended absence like this one, and it would not shock anyone if he is feeling "antsy" to get back on the floor, as Adelman put it.

Especially since Jokic was putting together the best statistical season of his career, averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game with absurd 60.5/43.5/85.3 shooting splits. Jokic was likely on his way to his fourth MVP award in six years, and while it is still possible, the NBA's new 65-game rule could bite him.

Adelman calls out the 65-game rule

Jaylen Brown rises four spots into the top three as his two-way impact continues to fuel Boston’s push toward the top of the East 🔥

Check out @Powell2dapeople’s full Kia MVP Ladder on the NBA App!

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— NBA (@NBA) January 9, 2026

The NBA now has a 65-game requirement for season awards, like MVP and All-NBA, both of which could be stripped from Jokic this season if his absence stretches too long. As it stands, Jokic can afford to miss just 11 games for the rest of the season before he is no longer eligible to win MVP.

While Adelman admits he understands why the NBA created this rule, a player like Jokic should be an exception.

"I understand the 65-game rule, but a guy who never misses games for a decade, it bothers me a little bit," Adelman said. "This is not somebody who is sitting out. He never sits out. I know he's anxious to get back. And it's a process for him as well."

The 65-game rule was created to prevent stars from sitting out games, as load management and rest became a huge issue in the league. However, this rule should not impact a player like Jokic, who is anxiously sidelined with an injury. Hopefully, Jokic can return soon enough to remain eligible for the awards that he deserves to compete for.

The longest absence of Jokic's career

Adelman calls out the 65-game rule

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