DENVER — In a stunning late development just hours before tip-off, the Denver Nuggets have officially ruled out superstar center Nikola Jokić for Friday night’s home matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team cited “wrist injury management” as the reason for the MVP’s absence in what is the Nuggets’ second-to-last game of the 2025-26 regular season.
The decision caps a rapidly evolving injury report that raised eyebrows around the league. On Thursday night, Denver listed Jokić, Aaron Gordon, and Jamal Murray as questionable, while already ruling out Spencer Jones and Peyton Watson. By Friday morning, the list grew longer: starting guard Christian Braun was downgraded to questionable with a left ankle injury and right hip flexor strain, and Cam Johnson was added as questionable due to right ankle injury management.
Notably, none of the questionable players had been reported as dealing with significant issues earlier in the week. The pattern strongly suggests a deliberate strategy of load management by the Nuggets as they protect key contributors ahead of the playoffs.
Despite the absences, Denver enters the contest riding significant momentum. After securing a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on April 8, the Nuggets extended their winning streak to 10 games — their longest run since the dawn of the Jokić era. That surge has lifted them into the Western Conference’s third seed at 52-28, giving them a one-game lead over both the Los Angeles Lakers and the surging Houston Rockets.
The Nuggets’ recent form has been one of the hottest in the NBA, transforming what once looked like a tight seeding battle into a position of relative strength heading into the postseason.
On the other side, the Oklahoma City Thunder will be severely shorthanded. According to the injury report, OKC is without Alex Caruso, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Joe, Ajay Mitchell, Thomas Sorber, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, and Jaylin Williams. Having already clinched the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed on Wednesday night, the Thunder have little incentive to risk their stars in the final two games of the regular season.
The contrast could not be starker: a surging Nuggets team protecting its MVP for the long haul against a fully rested Thunder squad content to coast into the playoffs. While the absence of Jokić removes the league’s most dominant individual force from the floor, Denver’s depth and current winning streak may still make for a competitive contest in Ball Arena.
As the Nuggets prepare for the postseason push, Friday’s game now serves as a critical test of their resilience without their franchise cornerstone — and a clear signal that Denver is prioritizing health over regular-season optics in the final stretch.