Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (right) is defended by Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic during the second half of an NBA basketball game on Friday, March 29, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zarbowski)
When Nikola Jokic stepped onto the court Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, it was impossible not to see the white tape covering the two-time MVP's right wrist.
During Denver's 111-98 loss at Ball Arena, it was clear something was wrong as Jokic had his wrist checked by a trainer regularly.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Jokic is one of the toughest players he's ever coached. That's why he returned to the floor Friday night despite his injury problems.
“His wrist is giving him a lot of problems,” Malone said after Denver's second straight loss. “But as we know, Nicola does things that most men don't do.”
Jokic's 32-point, 10-rebound performance against Minnesota exemplified his grit and fortitude. Still, it wasn't enough to prevent Denver from losing to the Timberwolves and falling to third place in the West.
With eight games left in the regular season, key players are busy, including point guard Jamal Murray, who missed his fourth straight game with an ankle injury on Friday. Denver has a difficult decision to make on whether to continue pursuing him for a top seed or adjust its approach to focus on resting players before the postseason.
“We'll have to think about that,” Malone said. “But I just want to win and get back to playing 40 minutes of Denver Nuggets basketball.”
Jokic reaffirmed after the game that he can play despite the pain, but expressed some concerns about his wrist.
“I hope it gets better little by little, so I don't feel that way every time I shoot,” he said.
Denver is in a dogfight for first place in the West. The Nuggets enter Saturday's game with a half-game lead over the Timberwolves, who lead the season series 2-1. At the same time, the second-place Oklahoma City Thunder won the season series against Denver 3-1, making it difficult for them to return to first place. It can't be helped that Jokic and Murray are both in tatters. Malone said he expects Murray to be back in time for the playoffs, but he doesn't know when.
About 40 minutes before tipoff Friday night, Murray appeared to be on the move, hitting 3-pointers from various spots on the floor. However, Malone does not believe Murray is ready to compete at a high level, as he is waiting for the star guard to surpass a certain standard before returning to the game.
After the loss against Minnesota, Murray approached Malone and apologized for not being on the floor.
“You're not trying to hurt me,” Malone told Murray. “Right now, health is more important than winning.”
If health truly is a priority, the Nuggets will be ready for postseason dogfights, even if it means resting players and possibly sacrificing their shot at first place. I might have to concentrate more.
Malone believes the Nuggets, when healthy, can beat any team in the league. Their record is 15-4 since the All-Star break, and 35-10 when Murray, Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. were added to the starting lineup. But back-to-back losses to the Suns and Timberwolves, two West contenders, highlighted the challenges of playing without Murray.
When the Nuggets returned from All-Star break, Malone expressed that the No. 1 seed in the West was “not a priority for me, No. 1 or No. 2.” Jokic's outlook on finishing first hasn't changed much. He wants to avoid mentioning which team the Nuggets will have to play in the playoffs.
“I would never do that. I think we should go out and win every match,” Jokic said. “We want to play well and stay healthy. That's the most important thing.”
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