Even Jokic haters were wondering what that was they saw in Minneapolis, Minnesota last night.
The Denver Nuggets were handled, embarrassed, puked on by the Timberwolves in Thursday night’s Game 3.
Denver is now facing a 2-1 deficit with another road game on tap. Another loss in front of those boisterous Minnesota fans and the Nuggets will find themselves facing a 3-1 hole going back home.
But the spotlight is on Nikola Jokic, the three-time NBA MVP who last night looked like he hadn’t played a playoff game. Far from that guy who was center stage holding up the Larry O’Brien and Bill Russell trophies three years ago.
Jokic shot 7-for-26 from the field (the worst of his postseason career) and 2-for-10 from the 3-point line in the Game 3 loss. He had 27 points, but on a disgraceful, un-Jokic-like percentage.
Sudden discourse over Jokic’s health has emerged.
Of course, Jokic missed four weeks of the regular season with a bone bruise. He suffered a left knee injury Dec. 29 in Miami against the Heat. After returning, his percentages dropped some, though not steeply enough to where many noticed. But his 3-point shooting took a glaring hit.
After two straight below par playoff performances for Jokic, Many are wondering if the 31-year-old Denver star is still battling the after effects of that injury he suffered back in late December.
Is Nikola Jokic Dealing With Major Injury?
Game 1 in Ball Arena was business as usual for the Serbian big man.
He logged 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists on an uber-efficient 11-for-19 shooting from the floor, including 9-for-12 on shots inside the 3-point line.
The Nuggets stormed out to a 1-0 lead and appeared they’d have the Timberwolves’ number this series. Especially after the Wolves took the last series they played against the Nuggets, many expected the Mile High Hoopers would exact their revenge.
GettyNikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets boxes out Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter during Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026 in Denver, Colorado.
Two games later, the momentum — and narrative — has shifted entirely. The Nuggets legitimately look like they could go down 3-1 and consequently get booted in the first round. Ouch.
And if there is some substance behind a Jokic injury, this season could really blow up in smoke for Denver.
In a recent episode of the “Hoop Collective” podcast, a show featuring ESPN senior writers Tim Bontemps, Tim MacMahon and Brian Windhorst, Jokic’s injury was discussed in alarming detail.
“What [the Nuggets] were really concerned about wasn’t the knee, but his wrist had been bothering him off and on,” MacMahon said. “I know there was at least one time — I don’t know if there are multiple; I suspect there are multiple — I know at least once, he had to get a painkilling injection in that right wrist, and I wonder if that wrist is acting up on him right now.”
Jokic has been bothered by a wrist injury for quite a while. The ailment goes back to before this season. Jokic even missed the second-to-last game of the season due to wrist injury management.
The injury has been something that has kept him on his heels this year, even though he has had numerous awesome performances despite being being bothered
“I mean, he won’t admit it, but it’s bothering him,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said earlier this season. “It really is. I think he’s shooting the ball sometimes to see where he’s at with it nightly. But as you know, it improves. And when he gets hit, he has to deal with it for a week or two weeks or whatever it is. I think we all know when he’s right, his splits, his shooting splits are absolutely unbelievable. So if he’s having problems making shots around the rim or free throws or whatever it might be, it’s not because it’s Nikola struggling. He’s going through something. So he’ll be fine. He’ll get through it.”
Adelman nearly echoed those sentiments after Jokic’s poor performance in Game 3, expressing confidence that his star big man will bounce back.
“This guy has played a million playoff games. There are nights that are poor,” Adelman said. “He will bounce back.”
Go Big or Go Home
That’s essentially what the Nuggets are now facing. Either they win Game 4 and tie up the series, or they fall down 3-1, a deficit only 13 teams in the history of professional basketball have overcome.
Why would the Nuggets want to find themselves under those circumstances … especially in only the first round?
Jokic and the Nuggets have commonly displayed a strong fight-back attitude. It won’t be shocking in the least bit if they come out to crash Minnesota’s party in Game 4.
After all, Jokic only averaged a near triple-double in games coming off a loss.
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