Denver Nuggets superstar big man Nikola Jokic has missed the last three games due to a calf injury. Unsurprisingly, the Nuggets have struggled without their best player and MVP candidate, as they own a 1-2 record since Jokic has been out. So when the Nuggets visit the Toyota Center on Tuesday night to play Jalen Green, Jabari Smith, and the Houston Rockets, every Nuggets fan will surely want to know: Is Nikola Jokic playing tonight vs. the Rockets?
Nikola Jokic injury status vs. Rockets
The Nuggets initially had Jokic listed as questionable for Tuesday's showdown with right calf tightness, per the NBA's official injury report. The good news for Denver fans is that the reigning back-to-back MVP has now been upgraded to available, and will be sitting up against the Rockets.
In other injury news relevant to the Nuggets, Jamal Murray will also play for Denver.
Nikola Jokic, 28, is in his eighth year in the NBA, all as a member of the Nuggets franchise. He's averaging 24.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 9.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game across 67 appearances this season (all starts).
The Serbian native is playmaking at a very high level in the 2022-23 campaign, even by his standards — Jokic's current 9.9 assists average is the highest of his pro career by a wide margin.
Expect the Nuggets to beat the Rockets on the road on Tuesday, especially with Jokic now in the lineup. After all, the Rockets have struggled to win games at home all season, as they own a 13-27 home record, the second-worst in the NBA. But with regard to the question, Is Nikola Jokic playing tonight vs. the Rockets, the answer is yes.