The Denver Nuggets are looking to rebound from a disappointing second-round exit in last year’s NBA playoffs.
They have started the season with a solid 7-4 record, boosted by a recent five-game winning streak that helped recover from an initial 0-2 start.
The team will aim to bounce back from a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday when they head to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies on Sunday afternoon, but the team will have to go into battle without its biggest star.
Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto shared that 3-time MVP Nikola Jokic is out against the Grizzlies for personal reasons.
Nikola Jokic is out (personal reasons) for tonight’s Denver Nuggets game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Jokic, a leading MVP candidate, has averaged 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 11.7 assists this season. pic.twitter.com/Vk9IURTBVu
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) November 17, 2024
Jokic is off to a ridiculous start.
He is averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 11.7 assists, and he is going to make it hard for MVP voters to succumb to voter fatigue and deny him a fourth MVP.
Jokic also missed Friday’s game, which likely contributed to the Pelicans ending Denver’s five-game winning streak.
Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun have improved this season, while Jamal Murray has seen his struggles from last postseason and the Olympics carry over into this season.
It’s unclear what personal reasons Jokic is dealing with, but it has been confirmed that he and his family are fine, and he’ll likely be back soon.
The Western Conference is looking as brutal as ever, and the Nuggets are still dealing with a championship hangover from two years ago.
Winning championships means your role players wind up getting paid elsewhere, so making up for that lack of depth is tough, though it is a bit easier when you have a potential 4-time MVP on the roster.
