Absent for a month due to a knee injury, Nikola Jokic made his comeback last night against the Clippers. He only spent 25 minutes on the floor but it was enough to complete a major project.
31 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 interceptions, 8/11 shooting including 2/3 3-pointers and 13/17 free throws.
The Joker didn’t need any time to adapt to get back on track. On the contrary, he picked up exactly where he left off, that is to say at an MVP pace.
Faced with the Clippers, who nevertheless remained on 16 victories in 19 games, Nikola Jokic recalled that he was the boss. He was particularly decisive in the last seven minutes, scoring eight consecutive points and eleven total to increase the score from 100-95 for Denver to 118-101. All this, before joining the bench to the ovation of the Ball Arena.
Wearing a knee protector on his left leg, Jokic didn’t seem to be much hampered in his mobility and said after the match that he was no longer thinking about his injury. “It’s a sign that I’m ready.” added the Joker. Ready, he is, even if his coach David Adelman should continue to limit him in minutes during the next rounds.
Despite the problems affecting Denver this year (including Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson and Christian Braun), the Nuggets once again showed their resources against the Clippers last night. Jamal Murray and Peyton Watson, who particularly shone when Jokic was absent, rode their great dynamic while Tim Hardaway Jr. caught fire coming off the bench.
With Niko back and a formidable collective, Denver is freaking out again. The Nuggets (33 wins – 16 losses) are third in the West just behind San Antonio and will face a tough Thunder this Sunday.
JOKER WITH A HIGHLIGHT REEL WORTHY DIME pic.twitter.com/o8ZfweY2AZ
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 31, 2026
Note: Nikola Jokic has missed 16 games in total, and therefore remains eligible for end-of-season trophies – MVP, All-NBA Teams – as of this writing (65-game rule).
