Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was unexpectedly ruled out for Wednesday’s contest against the Houston Rockets. Not on the initial injury report, Jokic was downgraded to out with right elbow inflammation.

“We had a conversation when he came to me in training camp,” Michael Malone said. “And he asked me, he goes, ‘Coach, do you think I should shoot more 3s?'” Denver had already attempted the fewest 3-pointers in the league the previous season. And that was before losing 3-and-D guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency.

After the Denver Nuggets beat the Brooklyn Nets for their second straight win, they look for their third as they face the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday afternoon. As the Nuggets will face the Mavericks without Kyrie Irving, they have some issues of their own as stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are on the injury report.