The Denver Nuggets' star player, Nikola Jokic, is taking small steps towards returning to the court after sustaining a knee injury. The crowd at Ball Arena cheered three minutes into Friday's game, as Jokic made his first public appearance in Denver since his injury. The three-time Most Valuable Player suffered a bone bruise after hyperextending his left knee against the Heat on December 29th. Nuggets coach David Adelman revealed that Jokic's progress is slow, with his effort level being assessed on a day-to-day basis. Jokic did not participate in any court activities before Friday's game, while Cam Johnson, who suffered a similar injury, went through a limited shooting workout. The severity of hyperextensions varies, and the worst-case scenario for both players would have been a ligament tear. However, Jokic's stationary position when injured is considered a positive prognostic factor. The Nuggets announced that Jokic would be re-evaluated in four weeks, which would be on January 27th. This timing is tricky, as Jokic has already missed six games, and the Nuggets are 3-3 since his injury. If he misses 11 more games, he will be ineligible for Most Valuable Player or All-NBA honors. Adelman doesn't expect Jokic to be eligible for postseason honors, but the player is anxious to return to the court. The bone bruise is the most serious injury of Jokic's NBA career so far, and he is expected to return around February 10th. However, the Nuggets' game against Memphis on February 11th is the last before the All-Star break, so Jokic might return sooner than expected.
