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Nuggets' Nikola Jokić avoids serious injury but will be sidelined for at least the next month

When Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokić went down clutching his left knee in the second quarter of Monday night's loss to the Miami Heat, many NBA fans feared the worst. However, it appears that the three-time MVP avoided the worst-case scenario.

How long does a hyperextended knee take to heal?

Jokić being out for a month is certainly not good news, but the fact that all of his ligaments are intact means that Jokic avoided the worst type of hyperextension. A hyperextended knee can frequently lead to damage to the MCL, ACL, or PCL, but it seems that Jokić avoided tears to all of those ligaments. The Nuggets will re-evaluate their center in four weeks, but it seems like he should be able to return in early February, in plenty of time for the playoffs, which is great news for Denver.

Denver is already without three other starters: Christian Braun (left ankle sprain), Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain), and Cam Johnson (right knee injury). As a result, the team will need to rely on players like Tim Hardaway Jr., Payton Watson, and Jonas Valanciunas with Jokic sidelined.

The All-Star center suffered the injury on the final defensive possession of the half. Jokic was alone under the basket when Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. drove to the hoop. Jokić stepped up to help teammate Spencer Jones, who was backpedaling. Jones didn’t see Jokić and stepped on his left foot, causing the center’s knee to hyperextend and sending him to the floor, where he grabbed at his left knee. Trainers came over to assist Jokić, who was able to get up on his own, but was noticeably hobbling to the locker room and grabbing onto objects to help keep him upright.

Can Jokic still win MVP?

At the time of his injury, Jokić had 21 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in 19 minutes. He came into the game as the odds-on favorite to win another MVP, averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 11.1 assists per game this season. However, being on the shelf for the next month may have shifted the MVP odds back in favor of Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who also won the award last year.

A player needs to have played in at least 65 games to be considered for year-end awards. Jokić has currently played in all 32 of Denver's games. That means he can only miss 17 games from here until the end of the year. The Nuggets play exactly 17 games in January and have one game on Wednesday, December 31st, so if Jokić were to miss the entire month of January, he would be ineligible for MVP or any other year-end awards. While the Nuggets would clearly like their best player to be eligible to take home those awards, their priority will be to ensure he's healthy for the playoffs, which means that Jokić should be considered a long shot to win MVP or take home any major awards this season.

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What To Make Of Team Chameleon Alias The Blueshirts

James Guillory-Imagn Images

Trying to figure what this Rangers team is all about is roughly equivalent to cycling from here to eternity. 

A night in Raleigh leaves us with this much evidence.

1. A 3-2 overtime loss is a Pyrrhic victory because the New Yorkers came away with a point against the Division leaders in Carolina.

2. The formula holds: Igor Shesterkin's goaltending avoided a 6-2 loss.

3. New York's offense is so weak that the goal-scoring heroes had to be defenseman Vlad Gavrtikov and Jonny Brodzinski.

4. If that isn't bad enough, the Rangers were outshot almost two-to-one (35-19).

5. Egad, what a cad! The Blueshirts were beaten by Carolina's fourth-string goalie, Brandon Bussi. (This guy didn't miss the bus!)

The three-game road trip still could be a winner if they top Washington – very doable –  tomorrow – and then Florida, which has many aces out with injuries.

An Optimist Looks At A Good Blueshirt New YearAn Optimist Looks At A Good Blueshirt New YearSkeptics to the contrary; the season is not yet a dead one for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a>.

Coach Mike Sullivan  is happy. "We competed hard and when it was five-on-five we had our moments," Sully proclaims.

You would be happy, too, as the highest-paid bench boss in the NHL – with no fear of firing!

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How to watch Detroit Pistons vs. LA Lakers: TV/live stream info, preview for tonight's game

Head to Peacock tonight for an exciting Coast 2 Coast Tuesday NBA doubleheader. The excitement begins at 8:00 PM ET when the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Memphis Grizzlies, followed by a Detroit Pistons vs LA Lakers showdown at 10:30 PM.

See below for additional information on how to watch both games and follow all of the NBA action on NBC and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

NBA: Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks
NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: Anthony Davis rumors fly, Harden to stay put, Hawks active
Will a big star be on the move at the trade deadline?

Detroit Pistons:

The Pistons fell 112-99 to the LA Clippers on Sunday in the team's second straight loss. Cade Cunningham led the way for Detroit with 27 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds. Jalen Duren finished with 18 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Despite the loss, the Pistons (24-8) remain atop the Eastern Conference and second in the league behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. Detroit's 24 wins are tied for the third-most through 32 games of a season in franchise history.

NBA: Boston Celtics at Portland Trail Blazers
Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: Donovan Clingan leveling up
Clingan has notched a double-double in six out of his last seven games.

LA Lakers:

After a 16-6 start to the season, the Lakers are 4-4 in their last eight games. The team is coming off a 125-101 win against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. Luka Doncic scored 34 points, LeBron James finished with 24, and Nick Smith Jr. added 21 off the bench.

James turns 41 today, and tonight's game would make him the 12th player in NBA history to play at 41 years or older.

How to watch Detroit Pistons vs LA Lakers:

  • When: Tonight, Tuesday, December 30
  • Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
  • Time: 10:30 PM ET
  • Live Stream:Peacock
NBA: Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls
Fantasy Basketball Week 11 Schedule Primer: Giannis Antetokounmpo is back!
Antetokounmpo will have the opportunity to play four games in Week 11 against some of the NBA’s worst defenses.

What other NBA games are on tonight?

Philadelphia 76ers vs Memphis Grizzlies - 8 PM ET on Peacock

How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.

Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule

Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

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How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies: TV/live stream info, preview for tonight's game

Head to Peacock tonight for an exciting Coast 2 Coast Tuesday NBA doubleheader. The action starts at 8:00 PM ET when the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Memphis Grizzlies, followed by a Detroit Pistons vs LA Lakers showdown at 10:30 PM.

See below for additional information on how to watch both games and follow all of the NBA action on NBC and Peacock. Peacock will feature 100 regular-season games throughout the course of the 2025-2026 season.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

NBA: Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks
NBA Trade Rumors 2025-26: Anthony Davis rumors fly, Harden to stay put, Hawks active
Will a big star be on the move at the trade deadline?

Philadelphia 76ers:

The 76ers fell 129-104 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, marking the team's third straight loss. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points, Quentin Grimes added 13, while Paul George and Justin Edwards each scored 12.

Joel Embiid did not play on Sunday due to a sprained right ankle and right knee injury management.

The 76ers have dealt with several injuries to key players, resulting in 17 different starting lineups this season — tied for second most in the league behind the Indiana Pacers. However they've managed to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference, largely due to their starting backcourt. Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, who have started 25 games together, are posting the second-most points per game (44.7) by any starting backcourt in the NBA this season.

NBA: Boston Celtics at Portland Trail Blazers
Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: Donovan Clingan leveling up
Clingan has notched a double-double in six out of his last seven games.

Memphis Grizzlies:

After opening the season 4-11, the Grizzlies have won 11 of their last 17 games. They are coming off a 116-112 loss to the Washington Wizards on Sunday. Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 31 points and 8 rebounds,and Ja Morant scored 21.

How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs Memphis Grizzlies:

  • When: Tonight, Tuesday, December 30
  • Where: FedExForum, Memphis, TN
  • Time: 8:00 PM ET
  • Live Stream:Peacock
NBA: Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls
Fantasy Basketball Week 11 Schedule Primer: Giannis Antetokounmpo is back!
Antetokounmpo will have the opportunity to play four games in Week 11 against some of the NBA’s worst defenses.

What other NBA games are on tonight?

Detroit Pistons vs LA Lakers - 10:30 PM ET on Peacock

How to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:

Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.

Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits—Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.

NBA on NBC 2025-26 Schedule

Click here to see the full list of NBA games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

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Travball emerges, athletics surges, Brisbane basks in success: Australia’s biggest sporting moments of 2025

An Ashes-defining intervention, an NRL showstopper, and new hope forced on the AFL are among our writers’ great moments in Australian sports this year

The highly anticipated Ashes was quickly torn apart by Travis Head’s cameo at the top of the order that has since turned into a much longer stay. The NRL grand final was another scene for an all-time breathtaking display, as the Broncos joined the AFL’s Lions in making Brisbane the epicentre of Australian sport. Here are our writers’ sporting highlights of 2025.

Continue reading...
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Canadiens: Make Or Break For Montembeault

Samuel Montembeault hasn’t played in the NHL since December 9, when he came in relief to Jakub Dobes in a 6-1 defeat at the end of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he hasn’t started a game in the NHL since December 2, a 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. Since then, he’s had a conditioning stint in the AHL with the Laval Rocket, played two games between a diminished side that was missing several of its regulars, lost them both and spent a lot of time working on his game with Rocket goaltending coach Marco Marciano, a man he’s known since he first worked with him when he played in the QMJHL with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. On Tuesday night, we’ll get to see if it worked, if he has his game back.

For most, it may just be yet another Tuesday night break, but for Montembeault, the stakes are much higher. The way he performs tonight will, in all likelihood, dictate how the Montreal Canadiens move forward with their goaltending this season. The fact that his first game back is against the Florida Panthers, the team that drafted him in the third round of the 2015 draft before putting him on waivers in 2021, is an interesting twist of fate. However, it’s not like the goaltender should need any more motivation than proving he still belongs in the Canadiens’ net.

Canadiens: Suzuki Waiting To Hear
Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky Rewarded For Big Week
Canadiens: Jordan And Patrik Laine Did The Honours

Tuesday night’s tilt will be the first of three meetings this season, and it comes as just two points separate the two teams in the standings. The Habs are currently third in the Atlantic Division, while the Panthers hold the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Should the Cats claim the two points tonight, they’d overtake the Habs despite having the same number of points in the standings since the Florida outfit has more regulation wins than Martin St-Louis’ men.

Interestingly, the last 10 games between the two teams have been split evenly, with each team claiming five wins. The Canadiens won the last five, while the Panthers won the first five, including a home game on February 29, 2024, which they took 4-3 in the shootout. Will the double defending champions call time on the Canadiens’ domination over them?

Just like the Canadiens, the Panthers have had their fair share of injury woes this season, and they are still without two huge names in Matthew Tkachuk and captain Aleksander Barkov, who’s out for the season, but may come back in the playoffs, if the Cats get there. Dimitry Kulikov, Jonah Gadjovich, Tomas Nosek and Cole Schwindt are also all on injured reserve.

Florida has a 7-3-0 record in its last 10 games and won a duel against the Washington Capitals, 5-3, on Monday night with Sergei Bobrovsky in net. It was the Russian netminder’s 446th career win, allowing him to overtake Terry Sawchuk in eighth place on the all-time wins leader list. He needs nine more wins to overtake Curtis Joseph in seventh place. Florida has yet to confirm who will be in the net for the game against Montreal; it may be the second game of a back-to-back, but it’s a crucial match in the standings. Bobrovsky has a 16-9-1 record against the visitors with a 2.47 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. As for backup Daniil Tarasov, he’s only faced the Canadiens twice, and he has a 0-1-0 record with a 2.65 GAA and a .898 SV.

Meanwhile, Montembeault has a 4-4-1 record against his former team with a 3.75 GAA and a .892 SV. As for Jacob Fowler, he has never faced them, but they were the first team Jakub Dobes ever played. Just over one year ago, he made 34 saves to register a shutout against the Florida outfit and help the Canadiens turn their season around.

When the Canadiens practiced on Monday, there was one significant change in the lineup up front. Alexandre Texier was skating alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on the top line. He had finished the last game there, but it looks like St-Louis wants to have a longer look at him in that spot. This means that Zachary Bolduc finds himself on the third line, playing alongside Phillip Danault and Josh Anderson. Brendan Gallagher is the Canadiens’ top points producer against the Panthers with 24 points in 40 games, while Suzuki has 20 points in just 19 duels, and Anderson has 14 points in 24 tilts. Caufiled is not far off from being a point-per-game player against the hosts with 12 points in just 14 games.

At the other end of the ice, Brad Marchand is the Panthers’ most productive player against the Habs with 48 points in 58 games, and he’s on an eight-game points streak, having put up 13 points in that span. Sam Reinhart comes in second place with 23 points in 34 duels, and Sam Bennet completes the top three with 21 points in 28 games.

The game is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on SCRIPPS, TSN2, and RDS. Cody Beach and Kendrick Nicholson will officiate, with Brad Kovachik and Tyson Baker serving as the linemen. Tuesday night’s tilt will be the Canadiens' last game of 2025 as they’ll be off for New Year’s Eve before taking on the Carolina Hurricanes on New Year’s Day.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

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Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. 

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Fantasy Basketball Stock Up Stock Down: Donovan Clingan leveling up

With the end of 2025 nearing, let's take a look at which players are ending the year on a high note and which could use a reset once the ball drops.

Without further ado…

→ Watch the NBA Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC and Peacock! The 76ers take on the Grizzlies at 8 p.m. ET before the Pistons square off against the Lakers at 11 p.m. ET. Both games are available on Peacock. Check your local listings for the NBC game in your area.

NBA: Orlando Magic at Denver Nuggets
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Anthony Black lighting it up
Anthony Black had his best game of the season Saturday, but he’s been impressive for the last three weeks.

STOCK UP

Maxime Raynaud — C, Kings

Raynaud’s become a reliable starting center for the Kings in Domantas Sabonis’ absence. The rookie has notched four double-doubles over his last six games, which includes a career-high 29-point outing in the overtime loss to the Trail Blazers during mid-December. Raynaud doesn’t make three-pointers or tally many assists, and only occasionally produces more than a couple of blocks — potentially limiting fantasy basketball ceiling a bit. However, there’s no denying that he’s being heavily counted on to produce, and his stock is currently up during what’s been a pretty strong rookie season. What will happen to his production upon Sabonis’s return to the Kings' starting lineup? We’ll have to wait and see.

Anthony Black — PG/SG, Magic

If you were able to steal Anthony Black from your league’s pool of available players, congratulations! He’s been one of Orlando’s best and most productive players over the past week, averaging 27.8 points and 4.3 three-pointers over the past four games, while also tallying 4.5 assists and generating multiple steals in three of those four contests. In other words, Black is doing a lot and has delivered strong fantasy performances. There’s no reason to believe that he won’t remain aggressive on the offensive end in looking to create for both himself and others. His production is even more needed in the absence of Franz Wagner, who remains without a timeline for return.

Donovan Clingan — C, Trail Blazers

Portland has had a fun season, even with the team seemingly on a never-ending rollercoaster ride in regard to wins and losses. The recent absences of veteran players such as Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant have allowed a younger nucleus to form and find their way. Of the many, Donovan Clingan has been one of the most consistent of late. He’s averaging a double-double on the season and has secured five in the past six games, including a monster 18/18 line against the Celtics recently. What makes the sophomore center unique is his floor-spacing ability that complements the rebounding and shot blocking — he’s gone 9/13 from deep over the last six games and is slowly coming around as a three-point shooter after a rough start to the season. Clingan’s clearly “the guy” at center for Portland and should be going forward.

STOCK DOWN

Anfernee Simons — PG/SG, Celtics

I’ve been waiting for a Simons breakout game to reset his course, but not even a recent return game in Portland against his former club could serve as the turning point. While the veteran guard’s shooting efficiency held up over the first couple of months of his Celtics tenure, he’s struggled throughout December, posting 38.4/29.2/95.2 shooting splits en route to just 11.4 points per game. Simons has only logged more than 20 minutes once over the last three games and is firmly entrenched in his reserve role behind the starting backcourt of Payton Pritchard and Derrick White — that shouldn’t change so long as the Celtics continue to win games. Perhaps Simons will leave his cold shooting in December and regain his shooting touch in the new calendar year.

Zaccharie Risacher — SF/PF, Hawks

The second-year leap has yet to come for the first overall pick of the 2024 draft, nor does it appear on the horizon. The Hawks have lost seven straight games and Risacher has been held to single digits in three of those contests while hardly being involved on the offensive end. His failure to be a difference-maker on the glass or as a facilitator, combined with limited stocks, has left him with very little fantasy impact. Recent buzz from Marc Stein mentions Risacher as a potential trade candidate, and that buzz could potentially grow louder so long as the Hawks’ slide and his lack of production continue to coincide.

Deandre Ayton — C, Lakers

Ayton’s fantasy production has slowed since a relatively strong November. He’s dealt with some minor injuries of late, which caused him to miss a couple of games. But in his three games since returning, the former No. 1 overall pick is averaging just 11.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and less than 1.0 blocked shot per game. Limited field goal attempts, no three-point production, and hardly any free-throw activity are some reasons for the low scoring output – things that aren’t likely to change overnight. Ayton’s high field-goal efficiency is notable, but without more activity, he won’t provide much value from a fantasy basketball perspective at the moment.

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Why Kendrick Perkins believes Jonathan Kuminga can fix ‘broken' Warriors

Why Kendrick Perkins believes Jonathan Kuminga can fix ‘broken' Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga has not played in eight of Golden State’s last nine games. 

NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins believes reversing that trend can fix the Warriors. 

“The Warriors are broken!!!!” Perkins wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly after the Warriors’ 141-127 overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. 

“One day Steve Kerr is going to realize that you need size and athleticism “Kuminga” to compete against the good teams in the League.” 

Kuminga started the first 12 games of the season before coach Steve Kerr made changes to the starting lineup following a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in November. The 23-year-old forward exited the following game due to a knee injury, causing him to miss the next seven games. 

Kuminga then struggled to find his footing after his return, averaging just 7.8 points in his next four games played. He has been mostly absent from the rotation since. 

“It’s tough because he’s not really a short-minute player,” Kerr told reporters after the Warriors’ 120-107 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. “I played a bunch of guys eight, 10 minutes. JK is a guy who needs rhythm – he’s not like a Gui [Santos] who’s going to come in or Pat [Spencer] and just fly around and play with great energy for four minutes and come out – he needs some rhythm.”  

“So, he always has to stay ready and there’s a pathway there. But right now, it’s not there, but things change quickly in the NBA.” 

In Kuminga’s 18 games played, the Warriors are 9-9 with a +0.3 net rating. In the 15 games without the young forward, the Warriors are 8-7 with a +3.3 net rating. 

In his last appearance, Kuminga scored two points on 1-of-5 shooting from the field while also grabbing four rebounds against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 13. He logged 9:31 of playing time. 

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

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Nuggets center Nikola Jokic out at least 4 weeks with hyperextended left knee

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic out at least 4 weeks with hyperextended left knee originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Nikola Jokic is only going to miss a few weeks, which is surely cause for the Denver Nuggets to take a giant sigh of relief.

The Nuggets’ superstar center has been diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee, the team said Tuesday, adding that the three-time MVP will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

It’s an obvious blow to the already short-handed Nuggets — but is not a season-ending issue nor one that would require surgical repair. If Jokic misses a month, that means he would be sidelined for about 16 games but could be playing again before February’s NBA All-Star Game.

The 6-foot-11 Jokic — considered by many to be the best player in the world right now — got hurt with about three seconds left in the first half of Denver’s 147-123 loss in Miami on Monday night.

Jokic entered Tuesday ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring this season at 29.6 points per game, plus leads the league with averages of 12.2 rebounds and 11 assists per contest. The only other player in NBA history to average at least 12 rebounds and 11 assists over a full season was Oscar Robertson for the Cincinnati Royals in 1961-62.

“Obviously, it’s part of the game,” Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said Monday night after the game — speaking before the team got the word on the severity of Jokic’s injury. “But we never want to see it happen. … Next man up. We’ve got to focus on what’s in here.”

Denver has five games left on a seven-game road trip, one that resumes Wednesday when the Nuggets visit the Toronto Raptors.

Jokic was alone under the basket and appeared to step forward to help Denver’s Spencer Jones defend a drive by Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. as time was about to expire in the second quarter. While backtracking, Jones stepped on Jokic’s left foot and it seemed the center’s knee buckled a bit.

Jokic collapsed to the court, grabbing at the knee. He was helped to his feet, then made his way to the locker room under his own power but with a pronounced limp.

Denver has been playing without three would-be starters in Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and Cam Johnson. Even after dropping four of their last six games the Nuggets are still currently No. 3 in the Western Conference at 22-10, with Jokic having played in all 32 of those games.

That’s about to change, obviously. Denver is 13-23 over the last five seasons when Jokic isn’t in the lineup, and any slippage in the coming weeks would be damaging to the Nuggets’ playoff positioning. The Nuggets entered Tuesday only three games ahead of Phoenix, which is currently seventh in the conference.

“You just have to stay with it as a team and as a group,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said Monday night. “And honestly, you have to stay with it as a team and a group because that’s how you best support your teammates that are out — by honoring them when you play. So, we’ll move on from there. This is part of the NBA.”

The injury interrupts what might be Jokic’s best season of his career. Not only is he leading the league in rebounds and assists, but he’s shooting a career-best 43.5% from 3-point range and tops the NBA with a true shooting percentage — a formula that accounts for 3-pointers and free throws — of just over 71%.

“It’s like a quest for efficiency and consistency, and I think that’s whether he admits it or not, he sees it as a craft,” Adelman said before Monday’s game, a couple of hours before the injury happened. “He’s trying to look at it as something, ‘What can I get better over the year at?’ And I think it’s been really impressive to watch him over these years, not be satisfied with it, and attack new journeys.”

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Blue Jackets Beat Travel Woes And Senators To Win Third Straight Game

Boone Jenner(6), Damon Severson(3), DentonMateycuk(7), and Kirill Marchenko(14) powered the offense, and Jet Greaves played great, making 27 saves to beat the Ottawa Senators 4-1 on Monday night. 

The day began with their flight to Ottawa being delayed due to issues with the plane and the weather. They were supposed to fly out on Sunday night but didn't arrive in Ottawa until 3:40 PM. After hurrying to the arena and getting ready, they took warmups and got ready to play.

Soon after warmups, the club announced that forward Sean Monahan would miss the game for "maintenance," so Zach Aston-Reese stepped into the lineup for him. 

It was not a normal gameday for the Columbus Blue Jackets in any way, shape, or form. 

First Period - SOG 12-7 CBJ - CBJ Goal - Jenner

The first 5 minutes of the period were pretty slow, with not a lot of shots or action. Cole Sillinger changed that when he got called for tripping Tim Stützle 5:03 into the period, giving the Sens their first power play. The Jackets would kill it with ease, with Greaves making two saves. 

The Blue Jackets earned their first power play when Fabian Zetterlund threw a dirty elbow at Dante Fabbro's face. Fabbro went down but popped right back up. Zetterlund skated off as if nothing happened but was escorted to the penalty box. The Senators would kill it, but Leevi Meriläinen had to make 5 big saves to keep the game scoreless. 

But just a few seconds after the penalty expired, the Blue Jackets jumped on a Sens turnover and buried a goal passed Meriläinen. Cole Sillinger sent a no-look pass from the boards to a waiting Boone Jenner who was crashing the net. 

Mathieu Olivier and Kurtis MacDermid had a quick scrap that ended fairly quick when both players went down. 

Dylan Cozens took a tripping penalty that gave the CBJ their second power play of the game. The Sens killed it off, ending the period with Columbus owning a 1-0 lead. 

Second Period - SOG 10-3 Senators - CBJ Goal - Severson

Damon Severson scored to make it 2-0 when he let loose an absolute missile to beat Meriläinen just 1:21 into the second period. 

A little over three minutes in, Dante Fabbro was called for holding Claude Giroux, giving the Sens another power play. The Blue Jackets killed the penalty to keep their two-goal lead. 

The Senators' Jake Sanderson, son of former CBJ great Geoff Sanderson, scored to make it 2-1 at the 8:16 mark of the period. Ottawa took a turnover down the ice, where the puck eventually found Sanderson's stick. He let a shot go that no one was stopping. 

Damon Severson was called for tripping Dylan Cozens a little over halfway through the period. At this point, the Blue Jackets are starting to falter a bit.

The Blue Jackets killed the penalty, and just as it ended, got a power play of their own when David Perron tripped Brendan Smith, giving them their third man advantage. Mason Marchment was called for hooking with 49 seconds left on their power play, killing it. 

Ottawa failed to score on the abbreviated power play they were awarded.  

Third Period - SOG 11-7 Senators - CBJ Goals - Mateychuk, Marchenko

Denton Mateychuk scored to make it 3-1 just 1:55 into the third period. Damon Severson picked up his second point of the night, and 6th point in 4 games. It was a huge insurance goal to regain a two-goal lead. 

Kirill Marchenko scored on a beautiful, odd-man rush to make the score 4-1. Kirill Marchenko is officially hot. 

The Blue Jackets would again hold a third-period lead and finish it off to pick up the win. Despite the adversity of the day, they played very well at times and took advantage of a slumping Senators club. 

Final Stats

CBJ APP

Player Stats

  • Boone Jenner scored his 6th of the season and 399th point of his career.
  • Damon Severson scored his 3rd goal of the year and had an assist. He now has 6 points in his last 4 games.
  • Denton Mateychuk scored his 7th of the year.
  • Kirill Marchenko scored his 14th of the season
  • Cole Sillinger picked up two assists and went 6/12 at the faceoff circle.
  • Charlie Coyle had two assists and went 5/11 on faceoffs.
  • Dmitri Voronkov had one assist.
  • Mason Marchment had an assist, and now has points in all four games since being acquired.
  • Adam Fantilli had an assist and went 10/20 on faceoffs.
  • Jet Greaves made 27 saves, which included 4 on the power play.

Team Stats

  • The Jackets' power play went 0/3.
  • The Columbus PK stopped all four of the Senator power plays.
  • Columbus won 54.4% of the faceoffs - 31/57
  • The Blue Jackets had 23 hits.

Up Next: The Blue Jackets are back home on New Year's Eve to play the New Jersey Devils. 

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