Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic addressed his late-game turnover and team struggles after Monday’s 119-117 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Ball Arena. The defeat marked Denver’s fourth loss in five games, despite Jokic recording his 183rd career triple-double with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists.
On the final possession, Jokic clarified, “I just… I get ahead like I lost the ball and the ball went that way. I didn’t… I tried to score but kind of I lost the ball in the spin. So, it was a turnover. It was not a pass.”
Jokic discussed adjusting to nontraditional rotations. “I don’t think it’s a big… I still like playing. It just happen… it’s a rotation. It’s not something I think about. When I’m on the floor, I’m going to try to give my best,” he said.
Regarding turnovers throughout the game, Jokic noted, “I actually had like three bad passes… I had open shot and I couldn’t… maybe I was like always one second late… I didn’t anticipate he’s going to be open the last two or three minutes of this game.”
The Nuggets missed key opportunities late, with Jokic adding, “We missed… Tim missed a three, and Donovan was going downhill. He get foul… we didn’t take a good shot in the end.”
Jokic also reflected on Cleveland’s defensive adjustments and the challenge of facing James Harden so soon after his trade. “He’s a great player… probably Hall of Famer… always a little bit different, but we know who he is and what he brings to the table,” he said.
On Denver’s home struggles despite strong road performance, Jokic said, “I think we lost a couple close ones at home… everything was good, especially tonight… I don’t know what’s the answer.”
The center remained confident in the team’s defensive abilities despite lineup changes and injuries. “We had some good quarters… a couple good games… held opponents below 100 points. When the guys are coming back, it’s a little bit different… just to get back in the rhythm,” he explained.
Jokic also commented on Christian Braun’s recovery from injury, saying, “You can still see he’s… a little bit… doesn’t go with full trust… but today he played good… made some big shots.”
Despite the loss, Jokic emphasized learning from the contest. “Are we happy with losses? No. But I think we can build on the games that we played,” he said, reflecting on Denver’s effort against a Cavaliers team riding an eight-win streak.
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points and made decisive free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining, while James Harden contributed 22 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Jamal Murray had 17 points and 11 assists, but seven turnovers from Jokic limited Denver’s late-game control.
The Nuggets fall to 34-20 and remain third in the Western Conference, while the Cavaliers improve to 33-21 in the East. Denver hosts Memphis on Wednesday, and Cleveland welcomes the Washington Wizards.
