Denver Nuggets announced Nikola Jokic He will miss at least four weeks due to left knee hyperextension.

The Serb is expected to miss all 18 matches in January and his maximum appearances this season could be limited to 64 matches. So Jokic will lose the opportunity to compete for the NBA’s main prizes – MVP and inclusion in the All-NBA, as this requires playing at least 65 games in the regular season.

Theoretically, he could return for the January 31 game against the Brooklyn Nets, which would give Nikola the opportunity to play 65 games before the end of the season, but that scenario is unlikely.

Jokic was injured in the last seconds of the first half of the match against Miami Heat (123:147) and did not return to the field after a long break. Before his injury, he managed to score 21 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds in just 19 minutes.

Jokic averaged 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists per game this season.

Denver Nuggets announced Nikola Jokic He will miss at least four weeks due to a left knee injury.

Star center was diagnosed with left knee hyperextension. At the same time, tests confirmed that the three-time NBA MVP’s knee ligaments remained intact.

Jokic was injured in the final seconds of the first half of the 123-147 loss to the Miami Heat and limped heavily on his way to the locker room. He did not return to the site after a long time.

Before his injury, Nikola managed to produce 21 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds in just 19 minutes on the field.

Losing Jokic could be a big blow for Denver, as starters Christian Braun (ankle injury), Aaron Gordon (hip issue) and Cam Johnson (knee injury) remain sidelined.

Jokic averaged 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists per game this season.

Injury Update: Nikola Jokić suffered a Hyperextension injury in his Left Knee in last night’s match against Miami Heat. Nikola will be re-evaluated in four weeks. pic.twitter.com/NIDmlKAN81

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 30, 2025

Leader and captain of “Cherkasy Mavp” Kirill Marchenko summarized the first part of the season for the team.

– Kirill, the team has entrusted you with the captain’s armband. What does this mean to you and when did you learn about this decision?

– First of all, it is responsibility and, to some extent, experience. I learned that at the first training after the departure of Andrei Agafonov, the coach said that we need a new captain. The men chose me.

I won’t hide it, I was ready for this. I had a feeling that I would now be the captain of the team.

– Agafonov was a very strong leader both on the field and in the locker room. Which of his approaches and principles would you like to bring to your role as captain?

– Yes, indeed, Andrei was a very important figure in our team, on the field and in the locker room. I definitely think it’s discipline and professionalism.

– The first half of the season is over. How do you evaluate this period as a team?

– I’m not very happy with the team’s result. I know we are capable of doing more. Of course, Andrei’s dismissal had an impact, but this is not an excuse. We have to go out and do our job.

– There were a few games where the Mavps lost their advantage during the game. What do you think is still missing from the team to consistently win such matches?

– Yes, there were many matches where we lost while we were ahead with 2-3 minutes left in the match. I think I just lacked basic concentration, maybe a bit of luck.

– The team completed its campaign in the Ukrainian Cup after the first match. How painful was this relegation process for the players?

– Every lost game hurts. Of course, it was sad to be eliminated after the first match, we wanted to win and make it to the Final Four. “Hoverla” took its revenge last year. We beat them in the first game of the cup bubble in Cherkasy last season, maybe that was their additional motivation.

– The season is in full swing, but the New Year holidays are approaching. Can the team regroup a bit?

– I think we will have 2-3 days off to start again. Maybe someone will see family and friends. This is also important for morale.