The Denver Nuggets face the Washington Wizards as Nikola Jokic remains sidelined with injury while Jonas Valanciunas nears a possible return.

Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas (17) gestures as center Nikola Jokic (15) looks on in the second quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Ball Arena.
The Denver Nuggets may regain some stability in the frontcourt as they begin a four-game road trip, even as their franchise centerpiece remains sidelined.

Denver (29-15) opens the trip Thursday night against the Washington Wizards (10-32) at 7 p.m. ET on MNMT, with center Jonas Valanciunas listed as questionable on the team’s injury report due to a right calf strain. Star center Nikola Jokic will remain out as he continues recovering from a left knee bone bruise.

Valanciunas, 33, last appeared Dec. 31 in Denver’s 106-103 win over the Toronto Raptors. In that game, he delivered his most productive outing of the season, scoring 17 points with nine rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal while shooting 5-for-6 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free-throw line in 23 minutes.

For the season, Valanciunas has provided efficient production in a limited role. He is averaging 8.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting a career-best 59.3% from the field across 33 appearances, including one start. He has logged 13.3 minutes per contest, often anchoring second units while offering interior scoring and rebounding.

Jokic has been sidelined since Dec. 29, when he played 19 minutes in a 147-123 loss to the Miami Heat. In that outing, Jokic recorded 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds while shooting 9-for-14 from the floor before exiting as the injury lingered.

Nikola Jokic, Jonas Valanciunas statuses shape Nuggets’ approach vs. Wizards

Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas (17) and center Nikola Jokic (15) on the court in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. @ Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Last week, reports indicated Jokic had resumed on-court workouts, a notable step in his recovery. His absence has forced Denver to adjust rotations and rely more heavily on depth along the front line while navigating a condensed January schedule.

Shams Charania addressed Jokic’s progress during an appearance on NBA Today.

“A big development here, Nikola Jokic has resumed on-court workouts for Denver, and he’s right on schedule, if not a little bit ahead of schedule of making his return to the lineup by the end of this month,” Charania said. “That’s about that four-week initial early timetable that they had. The Nuggets are optimistic Nikola Jokic will be able to return by that late January mark. He’s making great progress, rapid progress. If he is able to make it back by late January, it would also give him a window to be eligible for postseason awards.”

For now, Denver’s immediate focus remains navigating the road trip with a depleted but potentially improving frontcourt, with Valanciunas’ status representing the most immediate reinforcement as Jokic continues his recovery.