On Saturday, the Denver Nuggets suffered one of their most embarrassing losses of the season. After Jordan Poole hit a last-second deep 3-pointer, the Nuggets managed to lose to the league-worst Washington Wizards, 126-123, in the Mile High City.
The Nuggets were led by 40 points from Nikola Jokic, and Michael Porter Jr., Russell Westbrook, and Jamal Murray all cracked the 20-point mark. Denver shot a solid 35.3 percent from 3-point range, but it was no match for Washington, who shot 42.2 percent from deep.
Rookie Alexandre Sarr finished with a career-high 34 points, and after the game, Jokic didn’t hold back.
Mar 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (13) celebrates his game winning three-point basket with forward Kyshawn George (18) in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
© Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
“I think who you are in the regular season, that’s who you are in the playoffs,” said Jokic after the game. “I think you cannot flip a switch, that doesn’t really exist, that type of thing where you an just flip a switch.”
Basically, if Denver wants to be taken seriously in the postseason, they need to show that they can beat everyone, especially the worst team in the league, in the regular season.
The Nuggets’ year so far has been streaky at best, although with an MVP candidate on the roster, it’s hard to deny that they belong in the postseason. However, as they prepare to go on a run, solidifying their reputation needs to be a priority, and Jokic understands that.
Denver will have a chance to bounce back against the Golden State Warriors on Monday in what could be a first-round playoff matchup preview.