Nikola Jokić will miss his second consecutive game this season as a member of the Denver Nuggets’ bench.

The Nuggets announced that the All-NBA center will miss Wednesday’s contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to lower back pain.

On November 27, Jokić also withdrew from his lone other game of the season, citing back discomfort. Without him, Denver defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 113-104 on the road.

The matchup on Wednesday holds significant importance, as a half-game separates the two teams in the Northwest Division. The Thunder (32-15) need a victory to narrow their deficit to the division-leading Minnesota Timberwolves (33-14), which are less than a game ahead of the Nuggets (33-15).

Denver will be deprived of Jokić’s contributions of 12.1 rebounds, 26.3 points, and nine assists per game in his absence. The latter two averages are positioned third and fourth, correspondingly, in the NBA.

Joki, who led the Milwaukee Bucks by 113-107 on Monday, accumulated 25 points, 16 rebounds, and 12 assists.

This season will conclude with the fourth and final meeting between Oklahoma City and Denver. The Nuggets have a 1-2 record on the season.