Is Nikola Jokic playing tonight against Knicks? Latest injury update on Nuggets star ahead of matchup (18th March 2023)
NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are in the midst of a five-game East Coast swing. After stops in Toronto and Detroit, they’ll head to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks.
Before Thursday night’s victory over the Pistons, the Nuggets were mired in a four-game losing skid. Denver will look to extend their win streak to back-to-back games at the expense of Tom Thibodeau’s squad.
The Nuggets are just 6-5 after the All-Star break despite Nikola Jokic still putting up MVP-caliber numbers. He is averaging 25.1 points, 13.7 rebounds and 9.2 assists during Denver’s subpar stretch. “The Joker” is hitting 63.7% of his shots, including a sizzling 45.5% from behind the arc.
Denver head coach Mike Malone called out his team during their recent poor form for being “too chill.” Malone has stressed that his team will need to finish the season strong to regain their swagger.
A win over the New York Knicks should give them back their groove when they often overwhelm opponents.
What is Nikola Jokic’s status tonight against the New York Knicks?
The Denver Nuggets do not have Nikola Jokic on their injury report, which means that he should be available tonight. Denver’s franchise player has missed just eight games this season and will stay that way when they face the New York Knicks.
Denver lost to New York during their first meeting back in November. The Nuggets will be looking for some payback against Julius Randle and crew tonight.
What is Nikola Jokic’s impact on the Denver Nuggets?
The Denver Nuggets go only as far as the back-to-back MVP can take them. He didn’t have much of a supporting cast last year due to injuries, but he still managed to drag them to the playoffs.
Jokic has a healthier, deeper and more balanced team this time around. They’ve been comfortably sitting atop the Western Conference for more than three months already. Despite their recent slide, the Denver Nuggets (47-23) are still 4.5 games ahead of the Sacramento Kings (42-27) and Memphis Grizzlies.
“The Joker” is the biggest reason why the Nuggets have been so good for most of the season. He is averaging 24.8 points, 11.9 rebounds, 9.9 assists and 1.2 steals. His numbers are just staggering in whatever way anyone one slices it. Whether one analyzes the raw figures or goes by advanced metrics, Jokic’s impact on the Denver Nuggets is unmatched by any on the team.
Joel Embiid has surged to the top of the MVP ratings after a dominant seven-game run by the Philadelphia 76ers. Nikola Jokic doesn't seem to care who gets the award but is obsessed with winning.
The Nuggets could get back to their winning ways sooner rather than later because of Jokic’s mind-boggling excellence.
You may also like to read: Joel Embiid vs. Nikola Jokic: Examining their individual stats in every category and MVP credentials for the 2022-23 NBA season