Nikola Jokic picked up where he left off in the Denver Nuggets’ 122-109 home victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, as the three-time league MVP produced 31 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and three steals on 8-for-11 shooting from the field and 13-for-17 shooting from the charity stripe.
Jokic missed the past 16 games due to a hyperextended left knee he sustained against the Miami Heat on December 29. After the game, the Denver Nuggets star admitted he felt “nervous” in his first game back, following a long hiatus.
“I was not scared to use (the knee),” Jokic told ESPN. “I was not thinking about it while I was running and while I was playing. I think that’s a good sign I’m ready.”
“It was a new thing for me,” he said of being unable to play for a month. “I was getting nervous because I didn’t know the steps. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do, what I was supposed to feel. It was a different kind of nervous.”
Denver Nuggets News: David Adelman sends clear message to the team after Nikola Jokic’s return
Having Nikola Jokic back in the mix is a huge shot in the arm for the Denver Nuggets. However, head coach David Adelman said that Jokic’s return is not an excuse for them to become complacent.
“It’s great to have (Jokic) back, but let’s temper a little bit. The guy’s been hurt. He’s been out. Having the best player, in my opinion, alive is a major, major thing to get back. I just want to make sure we temper the idea of what it could be like. He’s got to get out there and feel comfortable again. We all know what it is when he is comfortable. It’s something we’ve never seen,”
“We’re moving in the right direction,” he continued. “Obviously, we’re excited to have him back, as we will be with any of these guys that have been out for an extended period of time.”
