Nikola

Jokić

Jokić has missed 14 straight games, but he’s nearing a return. According to Shams, “The Denver Nuggets will re-evaluate Nikola Jokić in about a week. He is making great progress; he’s in the ramp up phase of his return to play process.” Until Joker is cleared to return, the Nuggets will fill the void through a committee approach. The majority of big man minutes should be absorbed by Jonas Valančiūnas and Zeke Nnaji.

With Nikola Jokic (knee) and Jonas Valanciunas (calf) out, Nnaji made a spot start and provided the Nuggets with some solid production. In his 37 minutes, he attacked the glass hard to lead Denver in rebounds, and also led them in blocked shots. Additionally, the sixth-year pro scored in double figures to collect his first double-double of the season. He will likely remain the starter at center for as long as Jokic and Valanciunas are out.

The Nuggets’ starting unit on Friday features many changes. With Nikola Jokic, Peyton Watson, Christian Braun and Jamal Murray all out with injuries, several reserves have been elevated to the starting lineup. The unusual combination of players will look to overpower the Bucks, put together a second straight victory, and remain near the top of the Western Conference standings.

Murray will sit out on Friday due to lower-body injuries. His absence will come on the second game of a back-to-back, as the Nuggets look to put together back-to-back wins. The veteran point guard’s scoring and improved facilitating have been key for the Nuggets during Nikola Jokic’s extended absence (knee). Without Murray, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown could see increased opportunities.

Next month’s All-Star Game will consist of three teams, two representing the United States and one representing the rest of the world. Dončić, who was the leading vote-getter in the Western Conference, Jokić, Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama will be starters for the international team, with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo joining them. Curry will be a starter for one of the two United States teams, with Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown receiving the nod from the East.

Just over a week after the Nuggets’ center had reportedly begun to do some spot shooting, he’s now progressed to on-court workouts. According to Charania, Jokić is still on track for a late-January return to action, if not slightly ahead of schedule. For Tuesday’s win over the Pelicans, Aaron Gordon served as the small-ball five, with Zeke Nnaji playing 22 minutes off the bench. Shallow-league managers can consider adding Gordon, since he’s played 30 minutes or more in consecutive games for the first time since returning from his hamstring injury.

While the three-time NBA Most Valuable Player has begun to do some spot shooting, he’s still considered to be “weeks away” from a return. In his report, Charania mentioned the end of January as a potential return window for the center. Until then, the Nuggets will continue to rely on DaRon Holmes II and Zeke Nnaji to fill the void at the five.

Jokić’s injury is devastating for fantasy managers, as the No. 1 player in fantasy hoops was on an incredible tear. The silver lining is that he avoided a more serious injury, but his absence will cause a monumental hole in Denver’s lineup. Jonas Valančiūnas should get the nod as starting center, but he won’t be able to replicate Joker’s elite playmaking abilities. Jamal Murray should pick up the slack as a facilitator and scorer, while guys like Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown should be leaned on more as well. All three of Valančiūnas, THJ and Brown are worth picking up, though it’s still unclear what Denver will look like without its three-time MVP.

While the overall minutes tally for Valančiūnas was modest, he played 11 of those 16 minutes after halftime. The Nuggets were without Nikola Jokić, who suffered a left knee injury during the final seconds of the first half. If Denver has to play without its three-time MVP, Valančiūnas will likely move into the starting lineup. More should be learned about the severity of Jokić’s injury on Tuesday.

Murray has recorded a double-double in three of his last four games, and his role became much more critical during Monday’s defeat. If the Nuggets are forced to play without Nikola Jokić, who injured his left knee during the second quarter, Murray will become the focal point of the offense. Denver continues its road trip on Wednesday in Toronto; more should be learned about the severity of its star center’s injury on Tuesday.