Nikola Jokic has delivered so many nights as an undisputed protagonist that his presence has almost become taken for granted. That’s why seeing his name appear on Denver’s Injury Report before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves doesn’t go unnoticed.

The team listed him as questionable due to a sprain in his left wrist, a detail that introduces a bit of uncertainty into an otherwise flawless start.

The Serbian big man is once again putting up absurd numbers: 28.8 points, 13.1 rebounds, 10.9 assists and nearly 2 steals per game, all with surreal shooting percentages both from the field and beyond the arc.

Numbers that keep him firmly in the MVP conversation, a territory he knows extremely well after lifting the trophy in three of the last five seasons. And even though the Nuggets have hit a few bumps between injuries and rotation adjustments, their 9–2 record shows just how much he remains the cornerstone of everything.

The news about the wrist issue complicates a situation already made delicate by other absences. Christian Braun will be out for several weeks, and Cam Johnson has already been ruled out of the Minneapolis game due to a right biceps injury. Now the question is whether Jokic will also be forced to sit, even if only briefly.

While waiting for updates, one question remains: will the Nuggets really have to face Minnesota without their guiding light? The answer will influence not only Saturday’s game but also the pace at which Denver manages Jokic over the next few weeks, as they try to balance competitiveness with caution.