Foul trouble, not his bruised knee, was the only thing that could’ve kept Nikola Jokic off the floor Friday night.
With his status in question in the days following his knee-to-knee collision with Utah’s Rudy Gobert, Nuggets trainers ran their franchise centerpiece through an exhaustive array of tests.
“They’ve been making him go through the protocols, the testing, different drills and they felt that he was more than capable of getting out there and playing tonight,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said in the aftermath of the Nuggets’ 106-75 drubbing of the Mavericks.
Jokic said he had an MRI that revealed no structural damage, and as long as his knee didn’t feel weak, he intended to play.
“If there is a chance for me to play, I’m gonna play,” he said following his 11-point, 16-rebound, 8-assist showing that helped snap Denver’s two-game losing streak. As a team, the Nuggets limited the Mavericks to just 29% shooting from the field – a number that significantly decreased the defensive pressure on Jokic.
In fact, Jokic made such significant progress since colliding with Gobertap knee that he said he felt good on Thursday. But rather than push it, Jokic took in Thursday’s practice from the sidelines, clad in shorts and flip flops.
“Me and Vlatko we were feeling like on the beach,” Jokic quipped. “Had shakes, everything.”
Though he probably preferred observing rather than participating in practice, Jokic had every intention of playing come game time.
That is until he picked up his third and fourth fouls less than a minute into the third quarter and forced Malone into a decision. Malone reminded Jokic to show his hands and play smart even if the Mavericks force-fed Boban Marjanovic inside. Understanding the situation, and having established immense trust with Malone, Jokic stayed in.
Not to mention, as Malone aptly put it: “Have you seen us play when Nikola’s on the bench?”
Unsurprisingly, the Nuggets put the game away in the third quarter. Jokic had seven points and four rebounds, while Will Barton balanced the scoring with eight of his game-high 17. The Nuggets outscored the Mavs 33-12, and the game was effectively over before the fourth.
The impact he had, just by being available, was immense.
“Thatap our leader,” forward Jeff Green said. “We go through him, we play through him, and he goes out there and he sets the example.”
Green offered a dramatic pause when asked if he was surprised Jokic took the court after Tuesday’s incident.
“No,” Green said with a smile. “I’m still learning Nikola, but I already saw he’s a tough guy.”
As soon as the Nuggets’ postgame obligations were over, the Nuggets hopped on a plane to Minnesota that was set to arrive in the wee hours of the morning. To no one’s surprise, Jokic said he wanted to play in the back-to-back. But while that decision will be made in consultation with he, Malone and Denver’s medical staff, it carries significant weight when the MVP is almost always game.
“I think I’m good,” he said. “I want to play every game.”
