Major boost for the Nuggets! Jokic is set to return today against the Clippers and has not yet lost his award eligibility.

On January 31st Beijing time, according to renowned reporter Shams, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic plans to make his comeback in today’s home game in Denver against the Clippers. Previously, Jokic had been sidelined for a month due to an overstretched left knee accompanied by a bone bruise. His last appearance dates back to December 30th, missing the Nuggets’ last 16 games in the meantime.

Shams mentioned in mid-January that the Nuggets were optimistic about Jokic returning before the end of the month. However, on a TV show this Wednesday, he noted that the three-time regular season MVP will undergo a re-examination next week, and to ensure his full recovery, the Nuggets are prepared to delay his return longer than initially expected.

According to the timeline Shams provided earlier this week, Jokic was expected to miss the weekend’s two divisional games against the Clippers and Thunder. Missing these 17th and 18th games would mean he would fail to meet the minimum 65-game requirement, losing eligibility for end-of-season awards. But now, he is likely to play in both upcoming home games against the Clippers and Thunder, temporarily preserving his award eligibility—as long as he does not miss any more games this season, Jokic will reach 66 games played.

Once he meets the 65-game threshold, Jokic will undoubtedly be a strong contender for MVP and All-NBA honors. Before his injury, he was averaging a career-high 29.6 points per game, while leading the league with 12.2 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game. This season, his shooting splits have been an impressive 60.5%/43.5%/85.3%.

During Jokic’s absence, the Nuggets have maintained solid form, going 10-6 and holding firm at third place in the Western Conference. However, even with Jokic and fellow center Valanciunas both returning from injury, the team’s roster depth will continue to be tested.

This week, forward Aaron Gordon was diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks. Additionally, starting shooting guard Braun has only played 3 games since November 13th due to an ankle injury.