Nikola Jokic Makes Confession After Lakers-Nuggets Game
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets saw their impressive nine-game win streak end on Saturday night in Denver at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Nuggets had been on a hot streak, but the Lakers, who have won 14 of their last 18 games, shut them down with a dominant road win.
Despite the Nuggets’ strong form leading up to this game, it’s important to consider the caliber of their recent opponents. Of the nine teams Denver defeated during the streak, only one was in the top-10 in either conference.
This season, the Nuggets have struggled against teams with winning records, holding a below .500 win percentage in such matchups. Meanwhile, the Lakers, now just one spot behind Denver in the Western Conference standings, are only two games back.
In a post-game locker room interview, Jokic made an honest comment about the streak.
“We had the nine-game winning streak against teams that were injured, or not very good, and low in the standings,” Jokic said. “So, maybe we fooled ourselves.”
Jokic had one of his poorest offensive performances of the season in his first meeting with the newly revamped Lakers, led by Luka Doncic. He attempted just seven field goals and finished with only 12 points, far below his usual averages of 19.5 field goal attempts and 29.4 points per game.
The Nuggets committed 20 turnovers in the loss, a clear reflection of the Lakers’ elite defense, which has ranked No. 1 over the last 15 games. While the Lakers head home for a six-game stretch in Los Angeles, the Nuggets will embark on a four-game road trip, including three games against top-five Eastern Conference teams.