Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic out for OKC game with lower back pain

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Denver Nuggets ruled out two-time NBA MVP center Nikola Jokic for their game at Oklahoma City on Wednesday night due to lower back pain.

This will be the second game Jokic has missed this season. He was also sidelined on November 27 with a lower back ailment during a game the Nuggets won against the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Jokic is coming off a game against Milwaukee in which he recorded his 119th career regular season triple-double. He finished with 25 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists.

The 7-foot Serbian ranks 13th in points per game (26.3) this season, third in rebounds (12.1) and fourth in assists (9.0).

Denver is 1-2 against the Thunder this season, with the win coming up. This is the final meeting of the regular season between the Northwest Division rivals.