Nikola Jokic out for Nuggets’ NBA Cup opener
Nov 15, 2024, 1:56 PM
Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic will miss Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans, ruled out of the contest for personal reasons.
The three-time MVP has propped the Nuggets to a 7-3 record, winning five games in a row. The matchup with the Pels is the first for the Nuggets in this year’s NBA Cup, which tipped elsewhere on Tuesday.
The Nuggets have been off since Sunday, when Jokic tallied his fourth straight triple-double. He notched one of his strongest games ever with 37 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists in a 122-120 home win against Dallas.
Jokic is averaging 29.7 points per contest while leading the NBA in rebounding (13.7) and assists (11.7.) Friday’s contest will be the first game he’s missed this season.
While unconfirmed, there is some strong indication that Natalija Jokic is pregnant and is close to her due date. Officially personal reasons could mean just about anything so just about everyone can hope it’s a reason as happy as welcoming a second child.
The good news for the Nuggets is that New Orleans has lost six in a row to fall to 3-9. But with Aaron Gordon still out, Denver will have to play with some very strange lineups on Friday. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. will have to carry a heavy load while some combination of DeAndre Jordan, Zeke Nnaji and Dario Saric eats Jokic’s normal 40 minutes. More good news for the Nuggets, is that Zion Williamson will miss the contest due to injury and so will co-star Dejounte Murray. All the while the Pels don’t really have a center to begin with.
The Nuggets tip off a three-game road trip on Friday that sees them in Memphis twice. Then they’ll come back home to host Dallas again in an NBA Cup game. The Nuggets are currently fourth in the west but have played fewer games than many teams.
