The Denver Nuggets will be without Nikola Jokic when they face the New York Knicks on Wednesday, and it could very well extend to Friday's game against the Dallas Mavericks.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Jokic has entered the league's health and safety protocols. He has already been ruled out against the Knicks, and while the league's COVID-19 guidelines allows for a quicker return, he might not make it in time to suit up against the Mavs.
Take Bradley Beal for example. The Washington Wizards guard entered the protocols on November 6, but he ended up missing five straight games before finally getting the greenlight to play. Of course Jokic's situation could be different, but the fact remains that his absence could be longer depending on his condition and whether he's showing symptoms or not.
In the absence of Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets will be relying on Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon to fill the massive hole he leaves. MPJ and Murray impressed in their last game against the Chicago Bulls, so Denver has that going for them. Nonetheless, there is no doubt making up for Jokic's production is a tall order.
The Serbian big man is averaging a near triple-double of 20.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists. He is also tallying 1.5 steals per game while shooting 60.6 percent from the field. The showdown with the Knicks is the first game he's missing this season as well, so that's another big adjustment for Denver who has relied heavily on the MVP's brilliance.
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