Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been ruled out for Thursday’s night game against the New Orleans Pelicans with a calf injury, the team announced.

Denver coach Michael Malone said before the game that Jokic’s calf injury has been “brewing for a while” and he is sitting out to err on the side of caution. The Nuggets have a game in Phoenix on Friday night and host Golden State on Sunday.

Jokic, who has won NBA Most Valuable Player the past two seasons, is averaging 24.9 points, 11.9 rebounds and 9.9 assists for Denver, which is in first place in the Western Conference.

–Field Level Media