Update: Nikola Jokic’s Final Status for Nuggets-Pelicans

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Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is having arguably the best start to an NBA season in his legendary career. Already a three-time league MVP, Jokic is putting up numbers that even he has never averaged before.
Entering Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Jokic is averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 11.7 assists. The last NBA player to average a triple-double is Jokic’s new teammate Russell Westbrook, who has done so four different times.
One of the most impressive things about Jokic is his durability. The superstar center hardly ever misses games, but he is on the injury report for Friday night’s contest due to personal reasons. Jokic’s status was initially questionable for this game, but he has since been ruled out.
Injury Report ahead of tomorrow's game at New Orleans:
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 15, 2024
QUESTIONABLE:
Vlatko Čančar (Right Ankle Sprain)
Nikola Jokić (Personal Reasons)
OUT:
Aaron Gordon (Right Calf Strain)
DaRon Holmes II (Right Achilles Tendon Repair)#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/9sW6ZnAsHf
This final status for Jokic was announced early Friday.
Via Will Guillory of The Athletic: "Nuggets star Nikola Jokic (personal reasons) has been downgraded to out for tonight's game vs the Pelicans."
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic (personal reasons) has been downgraded to out for tonight's game vs the Pelicans.
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) November 15, 2024
NBA fans have been wishing Jokic well amid this unexpected listing on the injury report. With Jokic ruled out, there will likely be center minutes available for Dario Saric who has been out of Michael Malone‘s rotation for the last five games.
The Nuggets are already without starting power forward Aaron Gordon, so they will be missing two critical starters in this game. That said, New Orleans is even more injury riddled, as the Pelicans are missing most of their top rotation players - including Zion Williamson.
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Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.