Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was a problem for the Washington Wizards on Saturday, putting up a career-high 56 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists for a massive triple-double.
The Nuggets, however, also had a problem: They lost.
Jokic's inspired performance went down the drain after getting upset by the league-worst Wizards, 122-113. Washington only had two wins before the meeting.
The Nuggets, who played without Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon due to injuries, allowed the Wizards to sink 16 three-pointers and shot themselves in the foot by shooting only 16-of-27 from the free throw line.
They have lost seven of their last 11 games to fall to 11-10. They are battling the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
The 29-year-old Jokic acknowledged that they need to be more motivated in their upcoming games to break out of their slump.
"In my country, where I'm coming from, after this kind of stretch, you're gonna get a paycheck that is a little bit less than you are worth," said the three-time MVP from Serbia, as shared by Denver Post's Bennett Durando on X.
"Maybe that's what we need to do. Maybe a little motivation that way."
After being drafted by the Nuggets as the No. 41 overall pick in 2014, Jokic continued playing professionally in Serbia until 2015 and was named the MVP of the Adriatic League before jumping to the NBA.
Durando noted that Jokic was laughing when he made the remark. The Nuggets center, however, also pointed out another factor that could wake up his teammates.
"What's the name of it?" added Jokic. "Being benched? Being on the bench, I think that's really good motivation too."
To recall, Jokic came off the bench during his first year with the Nuggets. He played behind Jusuf Nurkic before then-coach Mike Malone finally made him the starter the following season, which changed the trajectory of the Nuggets and Jokic's career.
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This story was originally published December 8, 2024, 1:22 PM.