The Denver Nuggets suffered a shocking 122-113 loss to the struggling Washington Wizards, a team that had managed only two wins all season. Adding to the sting of the defeat, Nikola Jokic delivered a NBA career-best performance, scoring an impressive 56 points, which ultimately wasn’t enough to lift his team.
The Nuggets have been unable to capitalize on Jokic‘s remarkable efforts. Against the Wizards, the Serbian center narrowly missed a triple-double, adding 16 rebounds and 8 assists to his 56 points.
After the game, the three-time MVP didn’t hold back, jokingly suggesting his teammates might need a financial incentive to reignite their focus. “In my country, where I’m coming from, after this kind of stretch, you’re gonna get a paycheck that is a little bit less than you are worth,” Jokic said. “So maybe that’s what we need to do. Maybe a little motivation that way.”
The Serbian star also hinted that benching underperforming players might serve as an effective wake-up call. “What’s the name of it? Being benched? Being on the bench, I think that’s really good motivation too,” he added.
Coach Malone takes responsibility
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone didn’t shy away from the team’s struggles, emphasizing defensive lapses as the primary issue. He also took full accountability for the team’s disappointing performance.
“We have a lot of issues, mainly on the defensive end of the floor,” Malone said. “I’m doing a really poor job with this team. For us to be 11-10 at this point and losing to a team that, over their last five games, is averaging a hundred points a game, and they put up 122 on us — I’m embarrassed by that.”
Jokic says it’s a team problem
Jokic came to his coach’s defense, asserting that the responsibility for the Nuggets’ struggles lies with the entire team. He pointed to a lack of communication as a significant factor.
“Today, and the last couple of games, were really bad for us,” he explained. “We’re really going in the wrong direction. I think it’s everybody’s fault. It’s not just Coach’s fault. It’s not his fault that we cannot make shots. It’s not his fault that we don’t communicate.”