Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is expected to miss at least four weeks after sustaining a hyperextended left knee in Monday's 147-123 loss to the Miami Heat.

The team announced the diagnosis on Tuesday, and Shams Charania of ESPN reported the three-time NBA MVP avoided a serious injury, as all his knee ligaments remained intact.

That is a best-case scenario for Jokic, as the injury does not require surgery and isn't season-ending, and he potentially still could suit up for the All-Star Game on February 15, 2026.

Still, he will likely miss around 16 games for a Nuggets team in third place in the Western Conference.

Injury Update: Nikola Jokić suffered a Left Knee Hyperextension injury during last night's game at the Miami Heat. Nikola will be re-evaluated in four weeks. pic.twitter.com/NIDmlKAN81

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 30, 2025

Jokic was injured in the closing seconds of the first half, when he stepped awkwardly while playing defence underneath the basket. Teammate Spence Jones stepped on Jokic's foot, and his knee buckled. He then collapsed to the floor in visible pain, grasping at the front of his left knee.

He was helped off the court by trainers and was able to walk to the locker room on his own, but was limping significantly. Shortly after the start of the third quarter, he was ruled out for the rest of the game, finishing with 21 points, five rebounds and eight assists in 19 minutes.

With Jokic out for the second half, the Nuggets (22-10) were completely overwhelmed by the Heat, getting outscored 84-60 over the final two periods.

Jokic has carried a Denver team ravaged by injuries, with starters Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun, and Cameron Johnson all sidelined, and now the Nuggets must find a way to win without arguably the league's top player.

That is not something Denver has been able to do, going 13-23 over the last five seasons in games Jokic does not play.

Jokic has been the consensus top player in the NBA this decade, finishing either first or second in MVP voting in each of the last five seasons.

So far this season, he ranks fifth in scoring at 29.6 points per game, first in rebounds at 12.2 per game, and first in assists at 11.0 per contest. He is shooting 60.5% from the field and 43.5% on 3-pointers, and his league-leading 16 triple-doubles are nine more than the next-closest player – the Chicago Bulls' Josh Giddey.