Nikola Jokic Injured as Denver Nuggets Are Defeated by Miami Heat

Nikola Jokic injured during a loss to the Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets dizzy (Instagram/@nuggets).

JAKARTA - Nikola Jokic suffered an injury to his left knee when his team, the Denver Nuggets, suffered a loss against the Miami Heat in a continuation of the 2025-2026 NBA competition.

The 30-year-old Serbian basketball player suffered an injury about three seconds before the break on Monday, December 29, 2025, local time. Denver had to admit their opponents with a final score of 123-147.

Jokic, who was forced to miss the second half of the game, is scheduled to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) today, December 30, 2025.

"This is part of the NBA. Anyone can get injured in a game. It's obviously very hitting, especially for a special person like him," said Nuggets coach David Adelman, as reported by ESPN.

The incident occurred when Jokic was under the ring and moved to help Spencer Jones to stop the attack from Jaime Jaquez Jr. However, when Spencer retreated, he stepped on Jokic's left foot.

Jokic's knee was bent. He then fell down while holding the injured part before being helped up and walking to the locker room for a medical evaluation.

Jokic's injury comes amid a storm of injuries that have hit Denver. In the match, the Nuggets performed without Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, and Cameron Johnson. Throughout the season, Denver has been helped a lot by Jokic's contribution.

"I know he's a very special player so his development is something people are very keen to know about. That makes a lot of sense to me," David said.

Jokic managed to score 21 points, eight assists, and five rebounds before leaving the game. If he is out for a long time it will be a huge blow for Denver and the NBA because of his superstar status.

If he is out for a month, Jokic could miss about 16 games. Not playing in as many games as that will likely have a big impact on Denver in a competitive Western Conference.