Nikola Jokic suffered a tough hyperextended left knee on Monday, in the Denver Nuggets‘ 147-123 loss against the Miami Heat. Jokic fell to the ground late in the second quarter after his leg got tangled up with Spencer Jones’. Following the contest, the Nuggets confirmed that the three-time MVP will miss at least four weeks.
Fans couldn’t believe what happened as the Nuggets have experienced injury issues with most of their starters. Former NBA star Tracy McGrady was also affected by Jokic’s injury. On Tuesday’s “NBA on NBC and Peacock,” he described it as a “sad day” because of what happened to the Serbian center.
“It’s a sad day for me, because this is my favorite player to watch,” McGrady said.
“If I paid money to watch a player, I’m paying money to watch Jokic. He’s that phenomenal as a basketball player. But this is a devastating blow to their team.”
It's a sad for me, because this is my favorite player to watch."
Tracy McGrady and the NBA Showtime crew discuss Nikola Jokic's injury and how the Nuggets will proceed without the 3-time MVP. pic.twitter.com/Cd4JYsFjNg
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) December 31, 2025
McGrady believes the Nuggets’ position in the Western Conference might suffer in the absence of Nikola Jokic.
“I can see this team dropping about four or five slots.”
The Hall of Fame player also mentioned that the pressure will be on Jamal Murray to lead the team and keep them afloat. The Nuggets will continue their eight-game road trip on Wednesday, the first game without the three-time MVP.
Bam Adebayo complimented Nikola Jokic following the game
After the Heat’s win, center Bam Adebayo had high praise for the injured Nikola Jokic. According to Adebayo, he appreciates the opportunities he gets from playing against the star.
“I mean, it’s always fun playing against him. I mean, you see how he makes his teammates better. You see the greatness. But, you know, the one thing I like about it: it’s a competition at the end of the day,” Adebayo said.
He also showed his appreciation for how he plays, avoiding flops despite the contact he gets.
“He’s one of those guys who doesn’t really flop. And I truly respect that because, well, I’m not going to say flop, foul baiting. But it’s respect at the end of the day. Then obviously, you hate to see guys go out.”
The two big men have a history against each other. They faced off in the 2023 NBA Finals, with Jokic and the Nuggets winning the championship.
