Nikola Jokic reflected on Denver’s 127-125 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, highlighting Austin Reaves’ late-game play. “He [got] perfect bounce. He got a ball off his rebound on a floater. He made a floater,” Jokic said.
The Nuggets star addressed his role on inbound plays in crunch time. “Just to throw the perfect pass… we have a lot of threats over there on the floor,” he said.
Jokic also commented on defending elite scorers like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic. “Spencer’s like been able to contest well, but hasn’t really been able to steer them toward the double… it’s a learning process… they’re the best in the world,” he explained.
Regarding his animated behavior in the huddle, Jokic downplayed the moment. “I was animated a couple times,” he admitted.
The Nuggets’ center recorded his 27th triple-double of the season with 24 points, 16 rebounds, and 14 assists, while Aaron Gordon led Denver with 27 points. Jamal Murray struggled in overtime, scoring five points on 1-of-14 shooting before fouling out.
Jokic’s remarks also underlined the team’s challenge against multiple high-level threats. He acknowledged the difficulty of containing players without overcommitting: “You can kind of contain them and send them, but the offense is the one deciding where it’s going to go.”
The overtime defeat left Denver at 41-27, losing an opportunity to secure a clean tiebreaker in the Western Conference. The Lakers improved to 42-25, with Luka Doncic posting a triple-double of 30 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds, while Reaves finished with 32 points.
Jokic’s comments highlighted both individual effort and team dynamics. “It’s tough to guard those guys… the best in the league,” he said, emphasizing the learning curve for young defenders and the importance of situational awareness in late-game scenarios.
Denver will look to regroup as they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, while the Lakers travel to Houston on Monday.
