“We lost because of me” - MVP frontrunner Nikola Jokic takes responsibility for Denver Nugget’s embarrassing loss against Celtics

Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic said he had a role to play in the Denver Nuggets' 124-104 loss against the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

Despite his shooting woes, Jokic had a fast start. He had 12 points in the first quarter and dominated the Celtics. However, things soon went downhill after a sizzling first 12 minutes. Denver’s ultra-versatile big man would only add 11 points in the rest of the game, finishing with 23 points on 23 shots.

Boston raced to a huge 68-47 lead by half-time and never looked back from there. Jokic did his best but struggled with his shooting against the Celtics' stifling defense.

After the game, the 26-year-old center talked about his shooting struggles (via Katy Winge):

“We lost because of me. It’s very simple. Maybe I force(d) it, I don’t know. I just thought I had easy scores, and I didn’t. They guarded me really well …Defensively, I wasn’t where I was supposed to be.”

The Boston Celtics have three versatile and savvy defenders in Grant Williams, Al Horford and Robert Williams III. Boston’s perimeter players are also in sync defensively with their big men, which creates almost a blanket for opposing superstars. Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets were the latest to feel the Celtics’ unrelenting defense.

As good as the Celtics played on the gritty side of the ball, there were also instances where Jokic could have scored. On several occasions, he used his bulk, length and hesitation moves to get clear of the defense but could not make baskets. It was one of those nights where he could have scored more, but his shots just did not fall in.

Celtics coach Ime Udoka also notably varied his coverage of the Denver Nuggets’ franchise player. The Celtics gave him different looks and played more physically in defense at the start of the second quarter. Boston’s 35-16 edge in the second quarter was basically where they won the game.

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MVP chants for Jayson Tatum on Nikola Jokic’s home turf

Ball Arena, the Denver Nuggets' home court, rung with MVP chants for Jayson Tatum over Nikola Jokic.[Photo: Sky Sports]

In one of the weirdest scenes in the NBA, the Denver Nuggets’ home floor resonated with MVP chants for Jayson Tatum instead of Nikola Jokic. The significantly large contingent of Cs fans inside Ball Arena relentlessly trolled the current MVP on his home court.

Tatum was both efficient and spectacular against the Nuggets. He scored 30 points to go with six assists and seven rebounds. He went 11 of 17 from the field, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. Denver’s wing players couldn’t contain him, particularly with Jaylen Brown also hitting his stride.

For Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, it was a balmy night in Denver they will hope to forget soon.