NBA Rumors: Nikola Jokić to Return for Nuggets vs. Irving, Mavs After 3-Game Absence
Paul KasabianFeatured Columnist IINovember 23, 2024
Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić will return to his team’s lineup on Friday evening against the Dallas Mavericks after missing the past three games due to personal reasons.
Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Jokić and his wife Natalija Jokic recently welcomed their second child, a newborn son.
Shams Charania @ShamsCharaniaSources: Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic – out since Nov. 10 due to personal reasons – will return to the lineup tonight vs. the Dallas Mavericks (10 pm ET, ESPN). Jokic and his partner welcomed a newborn son Thursday night. pic.twitter.com/OVPsT0f6ET
The three-time NBA MVP is averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 11.7 assists this season.
His return is obviously a welcome sight for the Nuggets, who went 1-2 without him. Denver averaged just 92.0 PPG in its two losses.
The Nuggets have also been without Aaron Gordon, who is dealing with a right calf strain.
Denver will play a Mavericks team that’s without superstar Luka Dončić, who suffered a right wrist strain and will be re-evaluated in one week, per Charania.
Jokić’s last game was on Nov. 10, when the Nuggets beat the Mavs 122-120. Jokić put up a 37-point, 18-rebound, 15-assist triple-double, while Kyrie Irving dropped a game-high 43 points on 17-of-22 shooting.
Tipoff for this NBA Cup battle will go down at 10 p.m. ET in Denver’s Ball Arena.
