Nikola Jokic’s Career-High 56 Points Not Enough as Nuggets Fall to Wizards

The Denver Nuggets extended their losing streak to two games, as Nikola Jokic’s career-high 56 points proved insufficient in their 113-122 defeat against the Washington Wizards. Three-time MVP Jokic’s scoring output marked the second-highest in the franchise’s history, trailing only David Thompson’s 73 points achieved in 1978. Despite this, the Wizards, who maintained a lead from the first half, successfully contained the Nuggets and Jokic, thereby concluding their 16-game losing streak at the Capital One Arena. For the Wizards, shooting guard Jordan Poole contributed 39 points, including a career-best nine three-pointers. Justin Champagnie added 23 points, and Jonas Valanciunas recorded 20 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists. The Wizards, whose last victory was on 30 October, played without Alexandre Sarr. The Nuggets, conversely, were missing injured players Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Aaron Gordon (calf) for their trip to Washington. The Serbian player, Jokic, complemented his 56 points with 16 rebounds and eight assists. This career-high scoring performance occurred two days after he moved past NBA legend Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson on the all-time triple-double list, reaching 139, which ranks as the third-highest total in the league’s history. Following this loss, the Nuggets are positioned ninth in the Western Conference, having recorded 10 defeats in their 21 matches played. In other NBA action, Evan Mobley achieved a career-high 41 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who lead the league, in their 116-102 win against the Charlotte Hornets. The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics, while the Detroit Pistons triumphed over the New York Knicks, and the Dallas Mavericks secured a victory against the Raptors in Toronto. A comprehensive list of all NBA scores from Saturday is available.