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.
He toughed it out for a few minutes 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.
He was seen tightening his right shoe during a stoppage of play before he went back to the locker room.
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.
Jokic has been sensational so far in the NBA Finals, averaging 33.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists in three games against the Heat. The Nuggets led the series 2-1 heading into Friday night’s Game 4.
This is a developing story and The Sporting News will continue to update as more information becomes available.