Tim MacMahon
HOUSTON — Injured three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic plans to return “at some point” during the Denver Nuggets‘ upcoming five-game homestand, coach Michael Malone said Sunday.
“We’re just trying to get home and kind of see where he’s at,” Malone said before Denver beat the Houston Rockets 116-111, the fourth consecutive game Jokic has missed due to left ankle impingement. “It’d be great to have a chance to get our starting five some run together, because we haven’t had a lot of opportunity to do that this season.”
Malone said he does not expect Jokic, who went through a pregame shooting session Sunday, to play in Monday’s home game against the Chicago Bulls.
The Nuggets are 2-2 in the four games Jokic has missed with the ankle injury.
Jokic had been playing heavy minutes despite the ankle problem — averaging 39.8 minutes in eight March games — before Denver decided to prioritize his health over fighting for the highest possible playoff seed.
Jokic also suffered a right elbow contusion in a March 10 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which had been listed on the injury report along with the left ankle impingement until Thursday.
Jokic is averaging a triple-double — including career bests of 29.1 points and 10.3 assists per game — making him one of two leading MVP candidates along with Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
