Nikola Jokic subtly throws major shade on Nuggets after wasted career-night

It's a frustrating time for the Denver Nuggets in the 2024-25 NBA season. Denver sits at 11-10 through their first 21 games and is amid a tough four-game stretch. The Nuggets fell to 1-3 through their last four games with a 122-113 loss versus the Washington Wizards on Saturday night, despite a historic performance from Nikola Jokic.

After the game, Jokic shared some subtle criticism of his team. The three-time Most Valuable Player was asked what Denver needs to see over the next several games.

"A reaction," Jokic responded. "In my country, where I'm coming from, after this kind of stretch, you're going to get a paycheck that is a little bit less than you are worth. So maybe that's what we need to do. Maybe a little motivation that way."

Denver's superstar big man feels their loss versus Washington could serve as a wake-up call entering the second leg of their back-to-back versus the Atlanta Hawks. Sunday's stop in Atlanta will mark Denver's final stop of their three-game road trip.

Nuggets fall short despite 50-point night from Nikola Jokic

A poor defensive performance combined with 3-point struggles hindered the Nuggets versus the Wizards on Saturday night. Despite shooting nearly 50% from the field as a team, Denver connected on just five of their 24 3-point attempts and failed to close out defensively.

The Wizards shot 48.4% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc in 41 attempts. Nikola Jokic did everything he could to put Denver over the top versus Washington, posting a game-high 56 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists. Jokic shot 22-of-38 from the field and connected on three of his five 3-point attempts. He also got to the free-throw line at will, making nine of his 13 free throws.

Jokic posted the third-highest-scoring game of any NBA player this season, only behind De'Aaron Fox and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Fox scored 60 points on Nov. 15 versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, while Antetokounmpo scored 59 points on Nov. 13 versus the Detroit Pistons.