Overview
- Nikola Jokic sustained a hyperextended knee and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, leaving the Denver Nuggets without their star for at least a month.
- DraftKings lists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the clear MVP favorite at -450, with Luka Dončić next at +370 and a steep odds drop to the rest of the field.
- The NBA’s 65-game minimum puts Jokic’s award eligibility at risk given an expected absence of roughly 18 games, and Dončić’s early missed games could also jeopardize his eligibility if his pace continues.
- Denver faces a heavy January slate of about 18 games without Jokic, raising the risk of a slide in the Western Conference standings.
- The MVP field had already tightened after injuries to Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jokic’s setback is renewing scrutiny of the 65-game rule.