In an NBA regular season game, the Denver Nuggets faced a shocking defeat against the Washington Wizards, who were at the bottom of the league standings, with a final score of 113-122. This unexpected loss was surprising to many.
Despite Nikola Jokic's outstanding performance, scoring an impressive 56 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists, he was unable to lead the Nuggets to a comeback victory. This game will undoubtedly be remembered as a night of frustration and disappointment for Jokic, despite his individual achievements reaching historical levels. The team's loss dealt him a significant blow.
As we witnessed, Jokic not only achieved a career-high in points but also set several records. However, he could only leave the court with a look of dejection on his face. It is worth noting that the Wizards were in the midst of a 16-game losing streak, while the Nuggets, as reigning champions, were in excellent form recently. They should not have lost to such an opponent under normal circumstances. However, the outcome of the game is often more complex than we anticipate.
Jokic's single-game tally of 56 points broke his personal scoring record, making him the second-highest-scoring player in a single game in Nuggets history, just behind David Thompson.
Looking back at the game, the Nuggets did not start well. In the first quarter, although Jokic unleashed his offensive prowess with 7 shots made out of 11 attempts, scoring 11 points along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists, the team still trailed by 7 points. At the end of the first quarter, the Nuggets were down 29-36.
Even though Jokic played flawlessly, the overall situation for the Nuggets was not satisfactory. In the second quarter, Jokic continued his hot streak, going 5 for 5 and scoring 13 points. His personal performance showed no signs of decline. However, Jordan Poole of the Wizards seemed determined to compete with Jokic for the spotlight of the game. Poole played aggressively in this quarter, scoring 16 points on his own, allowing the Wizards to extend their lead to 12 points. At halftime, the Nuggets trailed 57-69.
Despite this, Jokic's individual statistics remained astonishing. He went 10 for 12 in the first half, scoring 24 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists, essentially carrying the Nuggets' offensive firepower. Even from beyond the three-point line, Jokic was the only Nuggets player to make a shot. The other players on the court appeared to be off-form, even somewhat lost.
Some netizens commented during the live broadcast of the game: "This is too lonely, isn't it? Jokic is carrying the whole team by himself, while the others seem to be there just for show."
In the third quarter, Jokic went completely berserk! He scored 23 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and provided 2 assists, setting a new personal high for points in a single quarter. In that quarter, he was virtually unstoppable, almost every offensive attempt resulting in a score.
However, the Wizards remained tenacious, and the Nuggets were still trailing. Despite Jokic already having 47 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists, the entire Nuggets offense still hadn't found its rhythm.
At this point, the emotions of netizens became somewhat anxious. Jokic is so strong, yet his teammates are like invisible figures; this kind of game is really hard to watch.
By the fourth quarter, the Wizards took advantage of Jokic's rest time to launch a 9-2 run, once again widening the gap to double digits. Although Jokic quickly returned to the court, the Nuggets seemed to be running out of steam.
Jokic fought hard to catch up, breaking through, shooting mid-range jumpers, and turning around, repeatedly leading the team to narrow the gap. However, unfortunately, the rhythm of the game had already been firmly controlled by the Wizards.
Especially in the final moments of the game, the Nuggets frequently made mistakes and missed shots, and Jokic was also unable to score in the crucial moments. Ultimately, they lost to the Wizards 113-122, causing quite an upset.
After the game, Jokic's face was filled with regret and disappointment. Although his personal score was already dazzling enough, his mood was clearly not light.
Standing on the sidelines, his expression was serious, appearing exceptionally dejected.
During the interview, his tone was also low: "I played well today, but the team lost. Honestly, individual achievements are not important to me; what matters is that we didn't win. Losing the game is the worst thing."
His words revealed a deep sense of loss. When you score 56 points on your own, and your teammates perform poorly, this feeling is truly unbearable. Jokic's candor couldn't help but make people feel a twinge of heartache. A seemingly perfect individual performance failed to bring about the expected victory; who can understand such a mood?
Judging from the result of the game, the Nuggets should reflect on why, in a game they should have won, even Jokic's god-level performance could not change their fate. Although we know that in the NBA arena, no game can be declared won in advance, the Nuggets should not have faltered when the Wizards were on a 16-game losing streak.
Behind all this, do the other players of the Nuggets have enough responsibility? Or are they ready to step up and share some pressure when Jokic does everything?
Some netizens posted comments after the game: "Today, Jokic really gave it his all, and his 56 points are amazing. But the performance of the other players was really unsatisfactory. The Nuggets not only lost to the Wizards but also to themselves."
Apparently, this feeling of frustration is not unique to Jokic; Nuggets fans are also distressed by the team's poor performance.
The Wizards can win, so what can we believe in? Another netizen seemed helpless, saying, "Today, we really saw the vulnerability of the Nuggets in certain situations, especially in critical moments when the team lacks adequate adaptability, and Jokic alone cannot lead the whole team."
This is the biggest question fans have about the Nuggets: even with world-class players, the team's performance is still key.
However, there are also fans expressing understanding: "Jokic has done his best today, with a historic performance of 56 points. How can we blame him? The other players indeed failed to step up, and the loss was inevitable. Teams always rely on one person when facing difficulties. But we can't blame Jokic entirely; he did his job, and the rest depends on the performance of others."
This fan's viewpoint is also worth our deep consideration. Basketball is a team sport, and the brilliance of one person alone cannot cover the shortcomings of the collective.
Despite this, the Nuggets are still the defending champions, and Jokic's abilities are unquestionable. This loss does not represent the true strength of the Nuggets.
As for Jokic, although he is undoubtedly an MVP-level player, in future games, he may need to rely more on the support of his teammates to lead the team to victory.