The Denver Nuggets are hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, April 10, but the status of their franchise center has become the biggest talking point heading into the game.
With Denver riding a 10-game winning streak and still fighting to lock down the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, the last thing they need is any uncertainty around Nikola Jokic.
But that is exactly where things stand as tip-off approaches at Ball Arena.
Is Nikola Jokić Injured?
The Nuggets are sitting Nikola Jokic tonight against the Thunder. He was isted as questionable on the official injury report due to right wrist injury management, and Denver ultimately decided to give him the night off ahead of the playoffs, which are set to begin on April 18.
The right wrist issue does not appear to be a serious injury. Injury management designations in the NBA almost always signal a precautionary decision rather than a genuine health scare.
And considering where Denver is in the standings and how close the postseason is, the Nuggets are clearly prioritizing resting their players and looking ahead to the postseason, as they already ruled out nearly their entire starting lineup for the same reason.
Thunder injury report for tomorrow’s game against the Nuggets:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (oblique injury management) is out
Chet Holmgren (back spasms) is out
Jalen Williams (hamstring injury management) is out
Isaiah Hartenstein (soleus injury management) is out
Cason Wallace…— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) April 9, 2026
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Isaiah Hartenstein are all out for Oklahoma City, with the No. 1 seed having already locked in their seeding and having no motivation to push their stars through tonight’s game.
𝑩𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮: All 5 Nuggets starters are OUT tonight vs. Thunder
Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, Christian Braun will not play pic.twitter.com/yKjGar2sak
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) April 10, 2026
In addition to Jokić, Jamal Murray is out, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cam Johnson are all out.
So far, Jokić has been averaging 27.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.9 assists. Those numbers are historic, and they have once again put him firmly in the MVP conversation. He has recorded 34 triple-doubles this season alone, and he is on track to become the first player in NBA history to lead the league in both rebounds and assists in the same season.
Which brings us to the more complicated question surrounding his absence tonight.
Under the NBA’s 65-game rule, which was implemented ahead of the 2023-24 season, players must appear in at least 65 regular-season games to be eligible for end-of-season awards, including MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and All-NBA honors.
The rule was originally designed to discourage load management and incentivize teams to keep their stars on the floor. This season, it has become one of the league’s most polarizing topics.
Jokic has played in 64 games heading into tonight’s game. That means by sitting against the Thunder, he will need to play in the Nuggets’ regular-season finale against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday in order to reach the 65-game threshold and remain eligible for MVP consideration. Denver has one more game after tonight, so the math still works in his favor, but it leaves zero room for error.
The broader conversation around the 65-game rule has reached a boiling point this season. Luka Dončić and Cade Cunningham are among the other MVP-caliber players who may not qualify for the award, drawing criticism from across the league.
For Jokic, the path forward is simple: stay healthy through Sunday and make sure he gets on the floor one more time. With him sitting tonight, his MVP eligibility is the biggest subplot hanging over the final days of the Nuggets’ regular season.
