Jokic suggests Nuggets should be docked pay as slump continues

Nikola Jokic feels drastic solutions are needed if the Denver Nuggets are to correct their dismal form, as he made it clear the team are "going in the wrong direction".

Jokic finished with a career-high 56 points on Saturday, yet the Nuggets fell to a 122-113 loss to the Washington Wizards, who won for the first time since October.

Denver are now 11-10 for the season and have lost four of their last six games.

And Jokic, who took 38 shots from the field – also a career-high – and had 16 rebounds and eight assists, suggested it could be time for desperate measures.

"I think today and the last couple games were really bad for us," said the Serbian, who is now behind only Alex English in franchise history when it comes to points, with 14,704.

"We are really going in the wrong direction. I think it's everybody's fault.

"In my country, where I'm coming from, after this kind of stretch, you're going to get paycheck that is a little bit less than you had hoped.

"Maybe that's what we need to do. Maybe a little motivation."

Joker up to number two pic.twitter.com/ZrkKuCKfEv
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 8, 2024

Nuggets coach Michael Malone insists he is responsible.

"I'm doing a really poor job with this team," Malone said.

"For us to be 11-10 at this point and losing to a team that last five games is averaging a hundred points a game and they put up 122 on us.

"I'm embarrassed by that."