Nikola Jokic delivered a career-high 56 points in a challenging game for the Denver Nuggets against a struggling Washington team on December 7, 2024.
Jokic’s outstanding performance included 16 rebounds and eight assists, marking a personal milestone. However, his efforts were in vain as the Nuggets fell to the Wizards 122-113. This marked Washington’s first victory since October, highlighting Denver’s ongoing struggles.
Despite Jokic’s exceptional scoring, shooting attempts were high as he sought to compensate for the absence of key players like Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Dario Saric. The Nuggets, lacking depth, couldn’t recover from their rough patch, losing back-to-back games and placing them tentatively in the play-in tournament picture.
Jokic expressed disappointment over the team’s direction, humorously suggesting a pay cut as motivation. “In my country, where I’m coming from, after this kind of stretch, you’re going to get paycheck that is a little bit less than you had hoped,” he remarked, capturing the gravity of their situation with a hint of levity.
Their challenges were not limited to injuries; defensive struggles were significant, as noted by head coach Mike Malone. “We have a lot of issues, mainly on the defensive end of the floor,” Malone stated, acknowledging Denver’s need for improvement after allowing Washington to score 122 points—surpassing its recent averages.
Offensively, the Wizards displayed more balance. Jordan Poole led with 39 points, including nine 3-pointers, supported by Justin Champagnie’s career-high 23 points and Jonas Valanciunas’s 20 points. Their performance contrasted sharply with Denver’s overreliance on Jokic, exposing the team’s vulnerabilities.
Malone accepted a share of the blame for the situation, expressing embarrassment over the team’s performance and their failure to capitalize on opportunities against weaker opponents. “I’m doing a really poor job with this team,” he admitted candidly, as the loss underscored larger systemic issues facing the Nuggets.
In this challenging phase, Jokic’s remarkable scoring highlights his individual talent but also underscores the Nuggets’ broader issues. The team faces a critical juncture needing strategic changes and recovery to improve their standing before playoff prospects slip further.
