Nuggets' Nikola Jokic Receives Diagnosis for Scary Knee Injury

The Denver Nuggets are now 22-10 on the season after falling to the Miami Heat on Monday night, but what happened in the second quarter was far worse than any loss. Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic went down with a scary knee injury, and after many were speculating about the severity of the injury, fans can finally rest knowing the diagnosis.

ESPN's Shams Charania reports that Jokic has been diagnosed with a hyperextension in his left knee, sidelining him for at least the next four weeks.

"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," Charania reported on Tuesday morning.

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. pic.twitter.com/u8qLE0GDd3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 30, 2025

Jokic avoids serious injury, but is still set to miss a month

The good news is that Jokic avoided a serious injury, as a hyperextension is a viable scenario after what many fans believed to be much worse. The bad news, of course, is that Jokic will practically miss all of January, if not more.

The Nuggets have already been playing shorthanded, as Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun have not suited up since November, and Cam Johnson is expected to miss the next month or so as well. However, even when those three are out, the Nuggets know they can compete because Jokic is on the floor. Now, that will change.

Nobody is allowed to exhale until the MRI results this morning, but it sounds like Nikola Jokic may have avoided major injury. That could change based on imaging but they’re hoping it’s just a bone bruise. Either way, @nuggets are suddenly minus four starters. Discussing now on… pic.twitter.com/61mYEFPI4B
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) December 30, 2025

If Jokic is out for the next four weeks, he will miss Denver's next 16 games. After playing in each of their first 32, this will be a complete culture shock for the Nuggets, and they will need everyone to step up in his absence.

Jonas Valanciunas time

Luckily, the Nuggets traded for Jonas Valanciunas over the offseason, who is undoubtedly one of the best backup centers in the NBA. As long as Gordon and Braun can return to action soon, the Nuggets will still have a viable starting lineup of Jamal Murray, Braun, Peyton Watson, Gordon, and Valanciunas.

Of course, Denver's depth will be a slight concern, and Valanciunas is certainly not Jokic, but this is a lineup that can still compete and win games while they play without the best player in the world.

Jokic avoids serious injury, but is still set to miss a month

Jonas Valanciunas time

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