The Denver Nuggets dropped to 37-24 in this 2025-26 NBA season following a 117-108 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena on Sunday. The Nuggets have now gone 4-8 over their last 12 games to drop to fifth in the West, and Nikola Jokic addressed their recent struggles in his postgame press conference.
“I think it’s a good thing to happen,” Jokic said. “Then you’re gonna start worrying, and then you’re gonna start [to] care probably more. I think the struggle is good. If you fail, I think it’s just gonna keep you worried, I will say. And then you’re gonna play a little bit harder and better.”
The Nuggets were expected to struggle in this manner when Jokic hyperextended his left knee on Dec. 29, 2025. The 31-year-old would end up missing 16 games, but the team surprisingly went 10-6 without him.
The Nuggets would beat the Los Angeles Clippers 122-109 on Jokic’s return on Jan. 30, 2026, to improve to 33-16. They’d get to second in the Western Conference a day later, and it looked like they might even challenge the Oklahoma City Thunder for top spot.
All the Nuggets have accomplished since, though, is lose more ground to the Thunder. They are now even at a bit of a risk of falling into the play-in spots, as the seventh-placed Phoenix Suns are 34-26 on the season.
So, what has gone wrong? Well, the Nuggets continue to be without key pieces like Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson due to injury. Jokic also hasn’t quite been at his spectacular best since he returned. The Serb is averaging 26.8 points over his last 13 games, but is shooting 49.0% from the field and 32.4% from beyond the arc. The eight-time All-Star hasn’t been anywhere near as efficient as he usually is.
That wasn’t necessarily an issue against the Timberwolves, though. Jokic finished with 35 points (15-26 FG), 13 rebounds, nine assists, one steal, and two blocks on the night, but it wasn’t enough.
The Nuggets actually won the first quarter 31-22, but then immediately squandered that advantage by giving up a 9-0 run to start the second. They would go on to lose the quarter 36-19, and head coach David Adelman ripped his team in his postgame press conference for allowing the Timberwolves to go on that run.
“I thought we let struggles offensively, missed shots, turn into horrendous defense,” Adelman said. “That run, I believe it was in two minutes and three seconds. I told them after the game that’s just inexcusable. I thought we were very competitive throughout the night, but not during that two minutes. And that can lose you a game against a really good team. So we gave them life. I really thought it was us, not them.”
The Nuggets have been looked at as a serious title contender this season, but they’re certainly not playing like one lately. Jokic had expressed concern after the 128-117 loss to an undermanned Golden State Warriors outfit on Feb. 22, but they haven’t been able to steady the ship.
Jokic remains hopeful that the Nuggets will find the best version of themselves between now and the playoffs. You’d imagine they will, but only time will tell.
The Nuggets take on the Utah Jazz next at the Delta Center on Monday at 9 p.m. ET. Alarm bells will well and truly start ringing if they lose to the lowly Jazz as well.
