Despite a rough-looking roll of the ankle prior to the end of the first half of play against the Chicago Bulls, there is “cautious optimism” that Nikola Jokic's injury is no more than a left ankle sprain, after the X-rays came back negative, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Jokic is still slated to undergo further evaluation this morning for a deeper diagnosis.
Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone was thankful that Jokic's injury, which he suffered with 44 seconds left in the second quarter after stepping on Jerian Grant's foot, is only minor and likely won't have any further consequences.
“I’ll go back and talk to our docs. Thank goodness it’s only a sprain,” Malone said, according to Nick Groke of The Denver Post. “Good thing is, he’s not an athletic big, so he doesn’t have to jump a lot.”
Jokes aside, the Nuggets are already missing a big man with Paul Millsap, who is expected to be out of commission for three months with his own injury — making the next man up mentality look great on paper, but not so great on the court.
“We have all day tomorrow to see where he’s at for the Laker game. If he can’t go, so what?” Malone said. “Mason Plumlee, Trey Lyles, Kenneth Faried, somebody else will take his place.”
The Nuggets managed to rally in the second half, thanks to Will Barton's career-high 37-point explosion — capped with a circus reverse layup with three seconds left in the game to seal the win for the Mile High City.
“No Millsap, no Wilson (Chandler), no Jokic. No excuses,” Barton said. “Just get the job done.”
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