Wednesday 8:15 p.m. update - Jokic is officially in for the Nuggets.
The Denver Nuggets have officially listed center Nikola Jokic as questionable for Wednesday’s playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a wrist issue. This is a new injury for Jokic, who was previously nursing a calf injury ahead of the postseason. He’s also just popping up on the injury report, so there’s some level of concern here for Nuggets fans.
There’s a small possibility this is a throwaway designation but it seems unlikely. Jokic had a solid outing in Game 1, playing 28 minutes and tallying 13 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. The Nuggets coasted to a victory in that contest and likely saved the reigning two-time MVP a few additional minutes on the court.
If Jokic is unable to go, Thomas Bryant likely gets the starting nod for Denver. Jamal Murray will take on a bigger scoring role, as will Michael Porter Jr. The betting line would shift towards Minnesota, although the Nuggets likely still come in as favorites even if Jokic is sidelined.