Nikola Jokic Gets Real About Nuggets’ Struggles Amid Growing Injury Concerns
Nikola Jokic isn’t sugarcoating stuff at all. The Denver Nuggets are going through a rough patch, and the three-time MVP dropped his two cents on the situation. Injuries, inconsistent defense, and late-game struggles – all of it happened at the worst possible time. The team has now dropped six of its last nine games.
Things hit a low point on March 6 when the Nuggets were blown out 142-103 by the New York Knicks. After the loss, Jokic alluded that what they’re dealing with is more than just execution issues. The Nuggets are only 14-15 in clutch games this season. Plus, currently, they hold the second-worst defensive rating in those late-game situations.
And so, the 31-year-old said the slump might actually serve as a wake-up call.
“Hopefully, we can find a way to get healthy and to start playing much better.”
Health, obviously, remains the biggest concern. Guard Jamal Murray suffered a left ankle sprain during the March 6 loss and didn’t return. Peyton Watson is expected to miss several weeks with a hamstring injury. Even with Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson recently returning, Denver’s lineup continues to shuffle.
Nuggets Slip to No. 5 Seed as Western Conference Playoff Race Tightens
The Denver Nuggets are 39-25 and sitting in the No. 5 spot in the West as of March 7, 2026. Not ideal. A recent skid pushed them out of the top four, which means no home-court advantage right now if the playoffs started today.
And the West is crowded. Denver is just one game behind the fourth-place Houston Rockets but barely ahead of the sixth-place Los Angeles Lakers. At the top, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are setting the pace, with the Minnesota Timberwolves right there, too.
If the playoffs started today, Denver would head to Houston for Round 1. But the standings are moving almost every night. One bad week could put the Lakers into the mix for the matchup. The real danger, however, is slipping toward the Play-In, where the Phoenix Suns are waiting.
Nikola Jokic Gets Real About Nuggets’ Struggles Amid Growing Injury Concerns
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