Not typically an outspoken leader, Nikola Jokic was animated (by his standards) following the Denver Nuggets' recent loss to the lowly Washington Wizards. During his postgame locker room interview, he openly called out the rest of the squad for lacking a desire and will to win. Roughly 24 hours later, the energy shift was palpable.
Fresh off one of the worst defeats of the 2024-25 NBA campaign, Jokic and the Nuggets bounced back tremendously against the Atlanta Hawks. Ostensibly, all it took was the Wizards snapping a 16-game against them to ignite the superstar center's teammates.
Denver annihilated the Hawks, seizing control of the contest from the opening tip-off to the final whistle, cruising to a wire-to-wire 141-111 victory. The Nuggets ran out to a 15-point first-quarter lead and never looked back. Of course, Jokic led the way with yet another wildly incredible performance. Nonetheless, several others made valuable contributions and appeared to have more bounce in their step, indicating they heard and understood the three-time MVP's message.
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Jokic told reporters he wanted to see a "reaction" from the Nuggets after an embarrassing effort versus an inferior Wizards club. However, their response may have caught him off guard -- in a good way. Any expectations the big man had coming into the clash with the Hawks were surely blown out of the water.
Michael Porter Jr. had arguably his best outing of the year, scoring 26 points, adding seven rebounds and three assists. The smooth-stroking wing shot an efficient 12-of-17 from the floor despite only converting one of five three-point attempts. Moreover, he posted a season-high 22.1 Game Score, highlighting an improved determination.
The rest of Denver's supporting cast executed their roles to perfection. Russell Westbrook was a spark plug, wreaking havoc defensively while setting up his teammates for easy buckets, dropping 11 dimes. Christian Braun had his fingerprints all over this one, demonstrated by a team-high +34 plus/minus rating. Julian Strawther spaced the floor for the Nuggets in his 22 minutes off the bench, draining three long-distance jumpers. Pair that with a routinely gaudy 48-point, 14-rebound, eight-assist stat line from Jokic, and you get utter domination.
Maybe Jokic should speak up more often. He indisputably lit a fire under his Nuggets comrades.