Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic appeared to suffer an injury to his ankle during the first quarter of Game 4 vs. the Heat.
The Serbian big man landed awkwardly on the foot of Miami's Max Strus while contesting a rebound. His right ankle seemed to roll outward, collapsing under his weight.
He toughed it out for a few minutes, limping noticeably before checking out of the game at the end of the first quarter. He briefly returned to the locker room, but emerged moments later to rejoin his team on the bench.
Nikola Jokic had to head to the locker room after rolling his right ankle.
— ESPN (@espn) June 10, 2023
He was back on the Denver bench to start the second quarter. pic.twitter.com/8fp9jaKcwF
Jokic was seen tightening his right shoelace during a stoppage of play before he went back to the locker room, drawing boos from the Miami crowd.
He went on to return to the game at the 7:50 mark in the second quarter with the score tied at 30-30. He did not appear to be wearing any extra tape or protective equipment when he returned to the floor.
The ankle didn't seem to bother him too much as he finished the game with 23 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in a 108-95 Nuggets victory. It gave Denver a 3-1 series lead and moved them to within a single win of a championship.
Head coach Michael Malone gave a simple answer when asked about the injury after the game.
"He's fine," he told reporters. "He's tough."
Michael Malone says of Nikola Jokic's ankle:
— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) June 10, 2023
"He's fine. He's tough."
It sounds like it will take more than a rolled ankle to keep the two-time MVP on the sidelines in the NBA Finals. Game 5 will tip off in Denver at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday, June 12.
