looked anything but sick when he scored 31 points on 13-of-15 shooting in Saturday’s loss to the Hornets.
But the Nuggets’ second-year center missed the team’s shootaround Monday morning because of illness and is questionable for Denver’s game against the Kings tonight.
The Nuggets (28-34) enter the game with a 1½-game lead over Portland for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Sacramento is three games back, one of five teams within that range battling for the last postseason position.
The Kings have beaten the Nuggets five consecutive times, including both meetings this season.
After a brief slump out of the all-star break, Jokic has averaged 21 points, 14.7 rebounds and eight assists in his past three games. He has entered himself firmly into the conversation for the league’s most improved player award.
“Not to discredit anybody else, but hands down you have to give it to Nikola Jokic,” Nuggets guard said. “Everything he’s done for the team, the triple-doubles, the scoring, I feel like it’s not even close.”
Forward Kenneth Faried will miss his fifth consecutive game with a back injury.
Footnote. The Nuggets recalled rookie guard from Sioux Falls of the D-League.
