Can you imagine exactly how important Nikola Jokic is to the Denver Nuggets’ offense? Here you have a piece of stat.

As pointed out by courtside reporter Jeremy Taché, the best offensive rating in a single season in NBA history was 123.2. But the Nuggets with Jokic on the court this season, have a rating of 125.8. On the other hand, the worst offensive rating in the NBA to date is 92.2. Guess what, the Nuggets are 86.6 offensive rating-wise without Jokic! So, with Jokic the best of it, and the worst with him out.

Naturally, the Nuggets find themselves in a tough spot with Nikola Jokic sidelined. He has missed the last three games for personal reasons, leaving a noticeable void. This caused them to lose in two back-to-back games against the Pelicans and the Grizzlies. But they bounced back the third time in the rematch against the Grizzlies on Tuesday. As the Nuggets prepare for Friday’s showdown with the Dallas Mavericks, uncertainty looms again.

A few days ago, hoops reporter Katy Winge tweeted, “Out of respect for Nikola’s wishes, we aren’t going to say anything more about the personal reasons he is missing tonight’s game. I can confirm that he and his family are fine and there is nothing to be alarmed about!”

However, days after this, Joker remained listed as “out” in the injury report. The reason is yet to be known, so it would be safe that we do not assume anything. But on the other side, the team’s head coach Michael Malone has addressed the ongoing mystery.

“No idea about Friday (vs. Mavericks). There’s no news out of Denver, so we’ll revisit that when we get home. Kind of see where everything’s going with his family,” Malone said via Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. The ambiguity is only adding to the tension surrounding the Nuggets’ current stretch. But isn’t it natural for Jokic to take care of his family first, given the kind of person he is?

Nikola Jokic’s personality is something that makes him stand apart from other players. Despite being a 3x NBA MVP and the centerpiece of the Nuggets offense, he is not your usual outspoken individual. He’s calm, reserved, and most importantly, family-oriented. He is much invested in things outside of basketball. His wife and daughter, as well as his siblings and their families, are some of the biggest priorities in his life. Here is how he puts it.

“Basketball is not main thing in my life, and probably never going to be. And to be honest, I look at it because I have something more at home [his family] that is more important than basketball,” Jokic was quoted as saying by NBA.com last year. Nikola’s brothers, Nemanja and Strahinja, have been with him for his entire basketball journey. He grew up playing basketball with them in his founding years. And that was instrumental for a player who made the move to the United States all the way from the small town of Sombor, Serbia, to play in the NBA.

“To be honest, when I was coming to United States, I was happy that I’m going to be with them. When you’re a kid and you’re small, you always want to be around with the big brothers. I was more happy to be around them than being in NBA,” Jokic had said. In fact, still now, Jokic remains that grounded individual who goes back to his scenic hometown every offseason.

“After my career is over, I’m gonna go back there. It’s super slow — not too much going on — but you have everything. You have a canal, nature; you can get peace of mind outside the city,” Jokic’s softer side comes out succinctly. Malone also can not stop but hail him for setting his priorities right.

“the one thing I really love about Nikola, just forget basketball, just as a young man who is a proud father and a husband, but through all the success, the MVPs, the max contracts, all that stuff, he’s still the same guy,” Malone had said about Jokic. the center himself had told to NBA.com that it was his family and friends that have helped him maintain this demeanor. But never think that it takes the competitiveness away from him.

The Serb has led the Nuggets to some great wins this season, like 129-103 against the Jazz, where he scored 27 points, 16 rebounds, and 9 assists. Or 40 points against the Raptors! Now as the Nuggets continue their journey, let’s see how was the team without their MVP.

Nuggets’ depth tested: Can Denver compete without Nikola Jokic?

Looks like the Denver Nuggets are discovering how Nikola Jokic used to be their cornerstone. On November 16, for the first time this season, he was reported as “out” because of personal reasons. And from then, the team has struggled to maintain their usual level of play. They played against the Pelicans without Joker, which is when their first test came. Although Porter stepped up with 24 points, it wasn’t enough. Eventually leading the team fell 101-94, leaving them in a tough spot.

However, that wasn’t it. Their second test came two days later, which again ended up in losing. The Nuggets traveled to Memphis, hoping to bounce back. But the result was another loss. The team didn’t have luck on their side this time too, as they suffered a 105-90 defeat, and it was clear they were missing more than just Jokic’s scoring.

The offense looked disjointed, and without Jokic’s playmaking, they struggled to create open shots. Jamal Murray, usually a reliable scoring option, was held to just 13 points. The Nuggets were hurting, and the sense of urgency started to grow. Then, a flicker of hope arrived.

On November 20th, the Nuggets faced Memphis once more. This time, Murray found his rhythm. He exploded for 27 points, leading the Nuggets to a 122-110 win. The victory was a much-needed boost, but it also highlighted the ongoing challenge of playing without Jokic. Porter Jr. added 24 points, and Dario Saric contributed 8, but the team still felt incomplete.

With Jokic’s absence continuing, Denver’s depth is being tested like never before. The question now is: Can the Nuggets stay competitive and weather this storm without their MVP center?