No structrual damage to Nikola Jokic’s injured knee

Michael Singer: Nikola Jokic is sore following his knee-to-knee collision, but there’s nothing structurally wrong, I’m told. I’d expect him to be questionable with the same diagnosis — a right knee contusion — for Friday. Team is generally conservative, so wouldn’t be surprised if he sat out.
Source: Twitter @msinger

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Michael Singer @msinger
Nikola Jokic is sore following his knee-to-knee collision, but there’s nothing structurally wrong, I’m told.
I’d expect him to be questionable with the same diagnosis — a right knee contusion — for Friday. Team is generally conservative, so wouldn’t be surprised if he sat out. – 4:32 PM

Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
New @AthleticNBAShow Daily Ding w/ @MoDakhil_NBA
👹 Russ finally breaks out for Lakers
🎷 Gobert near perfect for Jazz
🃏 Jokic goes down
👦 Jason Kidd & the leadership council
💻 @primetime_bs
📲 https://t.co/OoPRFVaeio
🦠 https://t.co/bJvPO0iIXx pic.twitter.com/HjZeZbBiOZ – 11:48 AM

Jake Madison @NOLAJake
New Locked on Pelicans w/ @John Karalis
🏀 Vintage Russell Westbrook in Lakers win
🏀 Nikola Jokic leaves with knee injury
🏀 Real or Fake: Are the Bulls back? James Harden concerns?
🎧 https://t.co/eryu8GLZtd pic.twitter.com/3cv0MPd3kv – 10:21 AM

Michael Singer @msinger
Nikola Jokic told Monte Morris his knee is “fine,” and the #Nuggets avoided disaster last night. More on that, the fight Denver showed in SLC and why MPJ might be struggling.
denverpost.com/2021/10/27/nug… – 9:50 AM

Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Nikola Jokic last night:
✅ 15 MIN
✅ 24 PTS
✅ 6 REB
✅ 6 AST
No other player since the ABA-NBA merger has recorded at least 20p/5r/5a in a game in which they played 15 or fewer minutes. pic.twitter.com/pekcRWwNQ1 – 9:11 AM

Sarah Todd @NBASarah
Jazz work through changing game plan after Nikola Jokic leaves game with injury https://t.co/MWJKKnsHaF pic.twitter.com/TGauQNoN87 – 2:43 AM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Nikola Jokic leaves game with right knee contusion; Malone said it doesn’t look serious nba.nbcsports.com/2021/10/27/nik… – 1:56 AM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Michael Malone doesn’t think Nikola Jokic’s right knee contusion is “anything too too serious.” Malone held Jokic out after the MVP said his knee felt weak at halftime espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 1:43 AM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Aaron Gordon thinks Nikola Jokic seems alright and is “in good spirits” after coming out of the locker room. – 1:19 AM

Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Jokic banged knee late in 1st half. Didnt play in 2nd half Nuggets dont play again until they face Mavericks on Friday night in Denver. – 1:02 AM

Michael Singer @msinger
Per Monte Morris on Nikola Jokic: “He said he thinks he’s fine.” – 1:00 AM

Jason Jones @mr_jasonjones
Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic injures right knee, misses second half of loss at Jazz
via @TheAthletic theathletic.com/news/nuggets-n… – 12:59 AM

Ben Anderson @BensHoops
Quin Snyder on Nikola Jokic leaving the game before halftime:
“First of all I hope — he’s sounds like he’s okay I hope that that is the case.”
#TakeNote | @kslsports – 12:57 AM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Michael Malone isn’t sure yet if Nikola Jokic will need any extra testing on his knee. He said that he decided to keep Jokic out at halftime when Jokic told him his knee felt a little weak. Malone said there was no sense in risking Jokic, especially on second of back-to-back. – 12:53 AM

Michael Singer @msinger
Malone isn’t sure yet whether Nikola Jokic will undergo futher testing. – 12:51 AM

Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Promising to hear Nuggets coach Mike Malone say postgame from Utah that he does not regard Nikola Jokic’s knee contusion tonight as “anything too, too serious.”
More NBA from me: marcstein.substack.com – 12:48 AM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Michael Malone said he doesn’t think that Nikola Jokic’s injury is “anything too too serious” but he said he decided to hold Jokic out at halftime. – 12:45 AM

Vinny Benedetto @VBenedetto
“I don’t think it’s anything too, too serious.” Michael Malone on Nikola Jokic’s injury. @CSGazetteSports – 12:44 AM

Michael Singer @msinger
#Nuggets fall 122-110 on second night of a b2b.
Effort was there. All that matters coming out of Utah, though, is Jokic’s status. – 12:38 AM

Michael Gallagher @MikeSGallagher
Fantasy adds tonight:
Shallow
Jalen Brunson
12 Team
Devin Vassell
Deep
Lonnie Walker IV
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
Damion Lee
Malik Monk
3 Ball is up! Talking all the injuries tonight (early thoughts on Jokic), Dejounte smash SZN, pickups above, and more! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/est… – 12:37 AM

Chris Dempsey @chrisadempsey
The #Nuggets losing this game is of no consequence. Jokic wasn’t on the court in the 2nd half. And he still outscored Gobert, 24-23, playing just 15 minutes. His health is of most concern, and MPJ has to get on track. Two days off will do this team some good before facing Luka. – 12:35 AM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Forget the game, just give me back a healthy Jokic and all is forgiven. – 12:34 AM

Eric Walden @tribjazz
FINAL: Jazz 122, Nuggets 110. Denver hung in there for 3 quarters but didn’t have enough juice w/o Jokic late. Rudy Gobert 23p, 16r. Mitchell 22p, 6a. Clarkson 19p. Conley 15p, 5a. Bogey 15p. Ingles 13p, 5r, 4a. Whiteside 10p. Utah improves to 4-0. HOU/CHI/MIL 3-game trip next. – 12:32 AM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
The Utah Jazz defeat the Denver Nuggets 122-110. Gobert goes 23 and 16 rebounds. Mitchell with 22, Clarkson with 19. Jokic has 24 in the first half, sits the second half. Utah moves to 3-0 on the season. On to Houston and the Rockets on Thursday night – 12:32 AM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nikola Jokic played 15 minutes tonight, scored 24 points, exited at halftime and finishes as the game’s high scorer. – 12:31 AM

Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
Jokic top scorer bet still cashed. 😭😭 – 12:31 AM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
If Denver is without Jokic for a couple weeks or more, the choice to not have a true backup center on the roster is concerning.
Nnaji has not shown he is ready for a rotation spot, Bol is purely theroretical, and neither J. Green is a true center. That is worrisome. – 12:22 AM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Nuggets down two big men now. JaMychal Green was just tossed along with Hassan Whiteside after their skirmish. Nikola Jokic was ruled out earlier in third quarter. – 12:16 AM

Bill Simmons @BillSimmons
New BS Podcast!
—NBA 75 Regrets, multiple NBA history lessons, Jokic vs. Walton, and advice for Tatum with the real Commish @GlobeBobRyan
—@TermineRadio on 1st week surprises/believes, a fun Cavs team, Ja’s Leap + The Process 2.0 in OKC
open.spotify.com/episode/0heZbV… – 12:11 AM

Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Malone finally out of the all bench 5. Morris and MPJ are in there now. Not sure if it’s a recognition it wasn’t working or just because Jokic is out. – 11:58 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Nikola Jokic will not return tonight for the Nuggets with a right knee contusion. – 11:38 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Nikola Jokic will not return tonight, I’m told. – 11:37 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
The byproduct of Jokic being out is that Denver goes from a drop big defense (which the Jazz may be the best team in the league at attacking), to an all switch defense (which the Jazz are significantly worse at attacking) – 11:37 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
The Nuggets did not fold when Jokic was unable to start the second half. They have come out and brought it to the Jazz despite being on the second night of a back to back on the road. – 11:31 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
I have no insight here, but I would be surprised if Denver brought Jokic back tonight. It makes more sense to see how his knee responds through the night and over the next couple off days before making a decison.
That being said, Jokic wants to play. There is no doubt there. – 11:25 PM

Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
No Jokic to start the second half for DEN. – 11:24 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
The second half starts without Jokic – 11:24 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Nuggets second-half starters: JaMychal Green, Aaron Gordon, Will Barton, MPJ and Monte Morris.
Jokic starts the second half on the bench. – 11:23 PM

Sarah Todd @NBASarah
Jokic not on the court for start of thee 3rd quarter – 11:23 PM

Ben Anderson @BensHoops
It doesn’t look like Nikola Jokic will be in the Nuggets lineup to start the second half.
Big development for the @Utah Jazz.
#takenote – 11:23 PM

Eric Walden @tribjazz
And Jokic is not on the court for the start of 2H – 11:23 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Malone and Jokic had a talk at midcourt and Malone gave him a pat…..and then he went to the lockerroom. – 11:22 PM

Sarah Todd @NBASarah
Jokic was on the court with a trainer and then had a brief talk with head coach Michael Malone and is now on his way back to the locker room – 11:21 PM

David Locke @DLocke09
Jokic is working with a Denver medical staff off resistance. Jokic holding a dribble while coach gives him resistance. Then Jokic went and took some more shots before coming back to the coaches and heading to the locker room – 11:21 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jokic just went back to the lockerroom – 11:21 PM

Eric Walden @tribjazz
Nikola Jokic testing out the knee during halftime pic.twitter.com/nWHJ9TJRYH – 11:19 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Nikola Jokic is out on the court, warming up and taking shots. pic.twitter.com/Nc0AROwetw – 11:18 PM

Sarah Todd @NBASarah
Nikola Jokic is back in the floor warming up during half time with the Nuggets. Really great sign – 11:18 PM

David Locke @DLocke09
Nikola Jokic is on the floor with the Nuggets as they warm up and he is taking shots. He is questionable to return with knee contusion – 11:17 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Nikola Jokic is back on the floor at halftime and participating in warmups – 11:17 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Shouts to @Michael Singer for being first on the Nikola Jokic injury update after a scary moment. He has been all over the Nuggets beat. – 11:17 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Nikola Jokic has a right knee contusion and is questionable to return. Sounds like great news considering how it initially appeared with Jokic in pain. – 11:14 PM

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Nuggets reigning MVP Nikola Jokic has a right knee contusion and is questionable to return. – 11:13 PM

David Locke @DLocke09
In the first half Denver shot 20 of 27 (74%) with Nikola Jokic on the floor and 4 of 16 when he was on the bench or out injured. – 11:13 PM

Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
I’m hopeful this Nikola Jokic injury isn’t anything more than a contusion. Leg wasn’t planted when hit, didn’t see any buckling. pic.twitter.com/liUuQFWYzW – 11:13 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Nikola Jokic has a right knee contusion and is questionable to return, I’m told. – 11:12 PM

Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
On the season Jokic is averaging 28-16-4 on 68% eFG.
He’s got 24-6-6 on 8/9 shooting at the half against Gobert and the Jazz.
Hopefully he isn’t hurt too bad and is able to keep playing in this game. – 11:11 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nikola Jokic before he left the game: 24 points (8-9 FG’s, 3-3 3FG’s), 6 rebounds, 6 assists. The best player in the NBA was absolutely showing out against the Utah frontline. – 11:10 PM

Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Jazz up 66-64 on the Nuggets at the half. Good game so far!
Jokic was incredible before leaving the game with a knee injury: 24 points on 9 shots, 6a, 6r. For Utah, Mitchell and Clarkson both have 12. Jazz shooting only 29% from 3. – 11:09 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
After trailing by as many as 11, Nuggets enter half down just 66-64.
Not often you trail after shooting 57% in the first half.
Concern, obviously, is with Jokic. He had 24 (on nine shots) before he went to the locker room after banging knees with Rudy. – 11:08 PM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
End-of-quarter Monte Morris taking Denver into the half down just 2. And now we wait for Jokic news. – 11:08 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Halftime in Salt Lake….the Jazz lead the Nuggets 66-64….12 and 7 from Mitchell. Jokic with 24. He was sublime. Gordon with 15. Great performances from those two – 11:08 PM

Sarah Todd @NBASarah
Jazz lead 66-64 at halftime. Jokic’s availability could decide this one down the stretch. – 11:08 PM

Brian Geltzeiler @hoopscritic
I’m no doctor but I did not like how that Jokic knee injury looked – 11:06 PM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Me right now praying for Jokic: pic.twitter.com/tXjo5KVGsO – 11:04 PM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
That knee-to-knee between Jokic and Gobert even quieted the Jazz fans with Jokic writhing around. Deep breaths all around. Let’s have nothing more serious than bruising please. – 11:03 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Denver really needs Jokic to be ok. Even if it was just bumping knees with Gobert, that was a vicous knee bump. Denver losing Jokic for even a few weeks would be very bad for their attempts to avoid the play-in tournament with Murray also out. – 11:02 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Nikola Jokic went down in pain after Rudy Gobert knocked knees with him on a drive. Jokic was in a great deal of pain. – 11:02 PM

Anthony Puccio @APOOCH
Not Joker, man. C’mon.
🙏 – 11:02 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jokic is going to the lockerroom….he’s limping a bit but walking under his own power – 11:02 PM

Ben Anderson @BensHoops
Jokic is up but moving very gingerly on the right knee, took a few steps and had to stop walking.
He’s walking it off but seems to be in considerable pain. – 11:01 PM

John Karalis @RedsArmy_John
And now Jokic down after knee-to-knee contact with Rudy Gobert. – 11:01 PM

Sarah Todd @NBASarah
Nikola Jokic was just helped to his feet by team trainers, but he is barely able to put weight on his right knee. He’s limping off the floor. – 11:01 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jokic is up and standing on his own. Limping gingerley. – 11:01 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nikola Jokic went knee to knee with Rudy Gobert just now. He’s down and holding his right knee. – 11:01 PM

Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Jokic down, holding his knee, in obvious pain. Just got up after a minute or so, though, to ovations from Vivint Arena. He’s limping heavily. – 11:01 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Nikola Jokic is down holding his right knee in a decent amount of pain. He bumped knees with Gobert. – 11:01 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jokic is down holding his knee. He’s in a lot of pain – 11:01 PM

Ben Anderson @BensHoops
Jokic is down in Salt Lake City and holding his right knee.
He’s been brilliant so far with 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Scary here as he still hasn’t gotten up.
#TakeNote – 11:00 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Nikola Jokic is down, looks like he’s holding his right knee. Nuggets trainer sprints to opposite baseline to check on him. – 11:00 PM

Sean Cunningham @SeanCunningham
Oh no…. Please let Nikola Jokic be ok. – 11:00 PM

Eric Walden @tribjazz
Jokic is down on the court holding his knee and appears to be in some serious pain – 11:00 PM

Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
I appreciate Utah having no chance to defend Jokic right now, and then Denver just having no chance to defend Utah’s ball movement by scrambling right now. It’s the best. This game is so fun. – 11:00 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Jokic and Gordon are 15-16 from the field for 39 points with 2 minutes before halftime lol – 11:00 PM

Sarah Todd @NBASarah
Jokic is down and holding his right knee. Looks like he’s in a lot of pain – 11:00 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jokic is going for 40 tonight pretty easily – 10:59 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Jokic is 7-8 from the field with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in 13 minutes and I don’t think he’s broken a sweat. – 10:58 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nikola Jokic is having a night – 10:56 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Nikola Jokic up to 19 points … on eight shots. Also with six rebounds and six dimes. – 10:56 PM

TJ McBride @TJMcBrideNBA
Nikola Jokic is single handidly keeping the Nuggets competitive and it is incredibly fun to watch. I say this all the time, but it is such a joy to watch him play basketball. – 10:55 PM

Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Jokic has 15 points on 5 shots and the Nuggets are down. – 10:55 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
This is now a 14-0 run for the Jazz and they lead the Nuggets 42-31…10:08 remaining in the first half. I’m not sure why Malone isn’t staggering Jokic and MPJ…. – 10:35 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Aaron Gordon went off in the first. Scored 10 and was killing the Jazz with bully ball. Mitchell had 8 and 3 assists for Utah in the first quarter. Jokic with 9-4-3 for Denver. He played really well – 10:31 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
End of the first quarter: the Jazz lead the Nuggets 35-31….Utah closed on a 7-0 run, which coincided with Malone having to take Jokic off the floor and Snyder having the luxury of putting Gobert back on the floor. – 10:29 PM

Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Jazz up 35-31 after 1Q. A 136 ORtg for the Jazz so far despite shooting just 31% from 3.
I think this is essentially the recipe for success against this version of the Nuggets: hold the Jokic minutes near-flat, kill the bench lineups. – 10:29 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
Nuggets starting frontcourt (Jokic, Gordon, Porter) has 26 points combined in the first. – 10:26 PM

Gordon Gross @GMoneyNuggs
Aaron Gordon is killing the Jazz inside. Jokic showing Gobert still can’t stop him. MPJ looks active & has hit outside. And Denver’s only up by 1 because the Jazz are crashing the rim on offense and Mitchell is finding MPJ switched onto him. Still a good energy start for Denver. – 10:25 PM

Michael Singer @msinger
We’re four minutes into the game, and Nikola Jokic already has eight points. Going directly at Rudy Gobert. – 10:10 PM

Spencer Percy @QCHspencer
Jokic is bullying Gobert. – 10:10 PM

Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Ah, this has just been fun to watch so far. Jokic is absolutely taking it to Gobert: 8 points in first 4 minutes. Snyder wants a foul and a travel, still talking to refs during the timeout. Jazz up 15-14, though. – 10:09 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Jokic is locked in. He’s got 8 and making everything look easy. First timeout. Jazz lead the Nuggets 15-14…7:51 remaining in the first quarter. Whiteside coming in soon – 10:09 PM

Eric Walden @tribjazz
Nuggets were making it a point early to target Bogey on defense, with Aaron Gordon posting up multiple times. Last time, they went to Jokic vs. Rudy. – 10:08 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Nuggets starters: Morris, Barton, Porter Jr, Gordon, Jokic – 9:32 PM

Harrison Wind @HarrisonWind
Quin Snyder: “The special passers, the Jokic’s, the Larry Bird’s, the Magic Johnson’s, guys that make those, like how did he get that through? That’s very difficult to teach. I speculated that Joker played water polo because he’s just remarkable. I don’t know if he did or not.” – 8:26 PM

More on this storyline

Ohm Youngmisuk: Monte Morris says Nikola Jokic said “he thinks he’s fine.” -via Twitter @NotoriousOHM / October 27, 2021

Eric Walden: Rudy Gobert said he didn’t feel the contact with Jokic, but saw a replay and said they bumped knees. Gobert wished him well. -via Twitter @tribjazz / October 27, 2021

Mike Singer: Malone on Nikola: “I don’t think it’s anything too, too serious.” -via Twitter @msinger / October 27, 2021