Is Nikola Jokic’s ‘Sarcastic’ Response to Reporter a Sign of 3x MVP’s Frustration With the Nuggets?

It has been a tough start for the Denver Nuggets this season. The team has struggled to create momentum during their initial games, losing both of them. This is despite strong performances by superstar center Nikola Jokić. During a press conference, he even showed a rare moment of frustration with his team. When asked by when the team should solve this rough start, he said “Yesterday”. 

Shedding his normal joking attitude, Jokic was quick with his quips and very serious about the team’s underwhelming start. When asked what to expect from the next three games, after an 0-2 start, the Nuggets star once again replied with a quick answer. He said, 

“Party every time when we go out. I really don’t know, my friend, we just want to win one game and hopefully we can do that on the road.”

Jokic started the season with a triple-double against the OKC Thunder. But he showed his MVP-level play against the Clippers in the second game. The 3-time MVP scored 41 points, to go with 4 assists and 9 rebounds. Despite this impressive outing, the team lost, with Jokic lacking support from his teammates. 

The Nuggets are in a crisis at the moment which might decide the future of their team. Losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope this off season has severely impacted the roster. Furthermore, the team decided to rely on young players to fill that void, something that has not worked out yet. 

The Nuggets are in serious trouble 

Jokic is one of the best playmakers in the League, plain and simple. But despite his ability to draw defenders and create fantastic passes, the Nuggets have struggled with shooting, making just 28.8% of their 3-pointers thus far. Losing KCP was more than just about losing a player, it completely changed how they play the game. But the loss would not be as devastating if Jamal Murray was his usual elite self. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. 

Murray was inconsistent and unreliable against the Timberwolves in the 2023-24 Western Conference Semi-Finals. Since then, the situation has only deteriorated. During the Olympics, Murray looked like a shell of himself, averaging only 6 ppg for Canada. His start this season has been somewhat underwhelming as well, with him only averaging 12 points over the first 2 games.

It will be interesting to see how the Nuggets make a comeback from this rough start. Jokic might be starting to get frustrated with the team amid a slow start. Furthermore, the off-season inactivity has left them with a roster that doesn’t look ready. Do you think Jokic is losing his patience with the Nuggets already?