Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray are arguably one of the best duos in the NBA, carrying the Denver Nuggets for several seasons. However, when the Serbian superstar went down with a devastating knee injury on Monday night, Denver unraveled, suffering a 147–123 blowout loss to the Miami Heat.
The score was tied 63–63 at the time of Jokić’s injury, a stark reminder of his importance to the Nuggets. Murray was visibly shaken by the incident and later spoke about what Jokić’s absence meant to the team.
Jamal Murray Calls Nikola Jokić Denver’s “Everything”
Jokić was injured just seconds before halftime when teammate Spencer Jones inadvertently stepped on his foot, causing the three-time MVP’s left knee to buckle backward in a hyperextension motion.
It was immediately clear that something was wrong. Jokić grimaced, grabbed his knee, and slowly made his way to the locker room with assistance. The Nuggets initially listed him as questionable to return before officially ruling him out for the remainder of the game.
Nikola Jokić suffered a knee injury in the first half of Denver’s road matchup against the Miami Heat.
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Following the loss, Murray addressed reporters in the locker room and was clearly concerned, given his own history with knee injuries.
“I mean, I just wish for the best. The first thing that went through my mind was, I hope it’s not what I had (ACL),” said Murray, via Altitude TV. “So as long as that’s not the equation, then obviously it’s part of the game. But we never want to see it happen. I’ll talk to him soon.”
Physical therapist Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT, identified the injury mechanism as a left knee hyperextension. While there is immediate concern for ligament damage, Mueller noted that similar plays in the NBA often result in less severe injuries, such as sprains or bone bruises. Still, Denver is awaiting official medical results as Murray and the team hope it is not an ACL tear.
When asked how the Nuggets would prepare for the possibility of playing without their franchise cornerstone, Murray emphasized a challenging mindset.
“It’s the same kind of mentality. Just next man up, we got to focus on what’s in here,” Murray added. “Obviously, he’s not just a big part what we do, but almost everything what we do. So we just want to see him healthy for the most. We just want to see him healthy and everybody’s in here to ready to step up.”
Jamal Murray on tonight’s game: ‘Nikola isn’t just a big part of what we do—he’s almost everything we do.’
Watch the full postgame interview on https://t.co/FkAXlCY5QD ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/BxNyYjoSHq
— AltitudeTV (@AltitudeTV) December 30, 2025
The timing of Jokic’s injury couldn’t be worse for Denver, even if it’s not a major issue, as they are already without key contributors Christian Braun (ankle), Aaron Gordon (hamstring), and Cam Johnson (knee).
Before exiting, Jokić was dominant, finishing with 21 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in just 19 minutes. He is in the midst of arguably the best season of his career, averaging nearly a 30-point triple-double, including a career-high 29.9 points per game, while leading the league in both rebounds (12.4) and assists (11.1).
Despite the setback, the Nuggets remain third in the Western Conference at 22–10. However, any extended absence for Jokić would significantly impact Denver’s championship aspirations, especially with multiple starters already sidelined.
