Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic exits vs. Heat with left knee injury

The Nuggets held their breath Monday night in Miami, as Nikola Jokic held his knee.

Jokic exited the game with a left knee injury and did not return, a development that immediately shifted the focus from the score to the season. Denver announced just before halftime that Jokic was done for the night, with Sam Amick of The Athletic reporting the three-time MVP is expected to undergo testing Tuesday.

The injury came on a routine defensive sequence in the lane. Spencer Jones was knocked off balance and backpedaled into Jokic, stepping on his left foot and causing Jokic’s leg to buckle. He went down hard, grabbed at his knee, and stayed on the floor as play stopped.

Jokic needed help getting up and walked to the locker room under his own power, though he was clearly favoring the leg and limping noticeably.

Any missed time would loom large. Jokic has been carrying Denver through injuries and inconsistency, averaging 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 11.1 assists while shooting better than 60 percent from the field.

He leads the league in triple-doubles and again sits squarely in the MVP conversation.

The concern is amplified by circumstance. Aaron Gordon remains out with a hamstring strain, Christian Braun has been sidelined with an ankle injury, and Cameron Johnson is nursing a knee bone bruise expected to keep him out at least a month.