Nikola Jokic embodies consistency. The 3x MVP and the beating heart of the Denver Nuggets, he’s always in the game—literally and figuratively. When he’s not on the court, it’s as if a vital puzzle piece is missing. But how did the Joker cope with watching from the sidelines for the past three games, forced to spectate instead of orchestrating chaos on the floor? Let’s just say, it’s not nearly as enjoyable as it sounds!

The Nuggets wingman returned to his team’s lineup on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks at the Ball Arena. Jokic missed three consecutive games due to “personal reasons.” However, ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported that the Serbian supergiant and his wife Natalija welcomed their second child, a son, on Thursday. Amidst the joyous news of the new family member of the Jokic household, defeat struck Nikola Jokic‘s Denver Nuggets.

Kyrie Irving & Co. overcame the Joker’s astounding triple-double on his return game. The Nuggets lost two of the three games that Jokic was absent. The media wanted to know how Nikola felt when he watched the team from afar in the three games he was away from the court. When asked about it in the Nuggets-Mavericks postgame presser, the Serbian star said: “I mean, it’s different of course. I think I played most of the games. So it was weird and different. It’s just different.”

Jokic has played in 11 games this season. His 2024/25 season stats speak volumes about why he might be leading the MVP race this time as well. With an average of 30 points, 14 rebounds, 11.5 assists, and 56.7 FG%, he is leading the show for the Denver Nuggets. Despite, the occasional setbacks the team is doing fairly well and a major credit goes to their 6’11” beast on the court.

Nikola Jokic’s triple-double nullified by the Mavericks in a disappointing defeat

Talk about ‘welcome back’ like what Nikola Jokic had on Friday. With 33 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists in 39 minutes of pure dominance, he became the only one in the Nuggets lineup to score over 20 points. Quite a disappointing record for Coach Malone to work on. Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks, despite several ups and downs per quarter, took the win by 3 points.

Surprisingly, when Jokic was away, the Nuggets won just one game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Yet again this proves the point that with the 29-year-old center, the team turns inconsistent with the wins. But when he came back, defeat was served. So, what could Nikola have done differently for the team during the three games he was away?

“I’m playing 35 minutes, 39 minutes today. So, I think I’m involved with a lot of things. So it’s really hard to say. Maybe, if I look at myself.” Well, Nikola Jokic is pretty versatile on the court, playing on both ends of the court. He’s not just an offense star, but defensively too, he can be quite lethal. So, now it’s just time for a major bounceback for the Nuggets. And who could help the team better than Nikola?

Nikola Jokic’s return was a powerful reminder of what the Nuggets had been missing. His absence left a void the team couldn’t fill. Despite the loss, his presence is undeniable. The Nuggets struggled without him, but with the Joker back in action, the bounce-back is inevitable. Now, it’s all about getting back on track and turning those close losses into wins.