Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic shared his thoughts after the team’s 116-93 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday at Ball Arena. Jokic finished with 25 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists, leading Denver to its sixth consecutive win.
When asked about the team’s strong second-half performance, Jokic said, “Yeah, I mean it was a good response by us. I think that the first half was not that bad. Maybe we can make shots, you know. It’s part of the basketball, part of the game, but second half was much better. The intensity, the energy, the running, the shooting. In the end, we made 19 threes, so it’s definitely helping us when we shoot like that.”
Jokic addressed concerns about playing aggressively on defense despite the risk of fouls. “No, I just, you know, it happens sometimes. Sometimes you have energy, sometimes you don’t have energy, sometimes you make stupid fouls, sometimes you… So, it happens,” he explained.
When discussing his approach to evaluating defensive performances, Jokic said, “Stay disciplined in what we talk in a locker room. Try to stop my guy in one-on-one situations, contest every shot, and rebound as much as possible.”
Reflecting on Denver’s six-game winning streak, Jokic noted, “I mean we found a way. I think we played some interesting games and some games with a lot of points, and we just found a way to win a game. This period is probably the most important thing.”
Jokic also highlighted the Nuggets’ defensive adjustments. “Maybe the ball pressure, maybe putting our hands on the ball, make their passes a little bit more difficult, make them think about driving… create turnovers, maybe just like hands activity,” he said.
Regarding ball control, Jokic acknowledged the team’s efficiency: “Only 12 turnovers for 13 points off of… so I did a little bit better job. Maybe that’s the reason why we had so few turnovers.”
He also addressed Caitlin Clark’s comment that he is her favorite NBA player, explaining, “We have the same agent. That’s why she said it.”
Looking ahead to the postseason, Jokic reflected on defensive standards. “Yeah, it’s kind of hard, but I think that should be our goal. We need to have some standards and try to make them as much as possible in the games.”
Jokic spoke about teammate Tim Hardaway Jr.’s intensity: “He definitely wants to be better. He wants to win. He has some kind of energy. Sometimes he’s good, sometimes he’s bad, but even bad energy can be good energy.” Jokic added, “I have a really good power of not listening to people in bad moments, and that helps me.”
Denver overcame a 13-point halftime deficit despite missing Aaron Gordon, Spencer Jones, and Cameron Johnson due to injuries. Jamal Murray added 20 points, while the Warriors were led by Brandin Podziemski and Kristaps Porzingis with 23 points each, still without Stephen Curry.
The Nuggets now sit 48-28, two games ahead of Minnesota and Houston for fourth in the Western Conference. Denver will face the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, while Golden State hosts the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.
