Illness sidelines Denver’s Nikola Jokić against Boston

Nuggets star Nikola Jokić is having another great season, averaging 31.5 points, 13 rebounds and 9.7 assists.

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DENVER (AP) – Three times NBA MVP Nikola Jokić was sidelined for Denver’s clash with Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night due to an illness.

The Nuggets center went from probable to questionable to out during the day. He was seen leaving the arena little more than an hour before tipoff.

“He didn’t feel well yesterday and it just got worse today, which is unfortunate,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said before the game.

Jokić is coming off a stretch in which he averaged 36.5 points, 16.5 rebounds and 11.3 assists to earn Western Conference play off the week is honored. It was the 16th time in his career he received the award, the most in franchise history.

Malone said it’s hard to put another player in Jokić’s place because “we don’t have another guy averaging 32, 13 and 10,” he said, alluding to Jokić’s points (31.5), rebounds (13 ) and assists (9.7) in total. this season.

“We’ve got to play the way we play,” Malone added before a game on national television. “We know they (Celtics) are elite on both ends of the floor and whoever is available to play … just go out there and find a way, not an excuse.”

It was set to be quite a showdown between the last two NBA champions. Additionally, this was a matchup between the reigning NBA players of the week. Tatum earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors after averaging 25 points and eight rebounds.

The Nuggets were even more short-handed, with forward Aaron Gordon already sidelined by a strained right calf.

Jokić sat out three games in November as he and his wife welcomed another baby. The Nuggets went 1-2 in his absence.

“He’s the kind of guy that brings a clear identity,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said of Jokić. “It’s a different frequency.”

Boston was without guard Derrick White due to an illness. He is averaging 17.1 points this season.