Is Nikola Jokic Playing Tonight? (Latest Injury Updates and News for Nuggets vs Suns on March 31)

The Denver Nuggets are back in action Friday night as they face the Phoenix Suns at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV. One player's status to keep an eye on ahead of tip-off is Nikola Jokic, who was sidelined for the Nuggets on Thursday.

Nikola Jokic Injury Update (3/31/2023)

Jokic's status is uncertain ahead of Friday's game against the Suns after sitting out against the New Orleans Pelicans with right calf tightness. More clarity will come when the Nuggets officially release their injury report. As it stands, Jokic's status could be determined as late as in pregame warmups.

It's concerning to see Jokic's status up in the air in what is a potential preview of a second-round NBA Playoff matchup. The Nuggets currently check in first in the Western Conference with a 51-25 record, while the Suns sit fourth with a 41-35 record. Of course, the rankings could change in the next week.

Jokic is in danger of missing his 10th game of the campaign, which would tie for the largest mark of his career (2020-21 season). The Nuggets have struggled with their big man off the floor, posting a 3-6 record. It makes sense as Jokic is averaging 24.9 points, 11.9 rebounds and 9.9 assists per game.

Nikola Jokic Fantasy Outlook and Prop Bets Today

Jokic is not listed among the available prop bets for the Nuggets-Suns game, according to FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA odds, but neither are any Denver players right now. Head coach Michael Malone's team is slated as a 10-point road underdog against Phoenix and fading a banged up Denver squad is the way to go. The Suns are 7-2 against the spread (ATS) in their last nine games against the Nuggets.

Jokic is listed among the top options on the FanDuel DFS slate tonight, though, checking in with the most expensive price tag of any player ($12,000). That should not come as a major shock given the 28-year-old is averaging 55.8 FanDuel fantasy points per game, but be careful as the Suns allow the 10th-fewest fantasy points per game to opposing centers. It's best to steer clear of Jokic in this one.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.