As he enters the 10th season of his NBA career, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has solidified himself as one of the game’s all-time greats. He is a three-time NBA MVP, a six-time All-NBA selection, a six-time All-Star, a one-time NBA champion, and a one-time Finals MVP. Additionally, he is a multi-time Olympic medalist, representing Serbia. In 2016, he helped his team take home a silver medal. Earlier this year, however, Serbia earned a bronze medal. On its own, winning a bronze medal in the Olympics is a notable achievement. However, Jokic and his team were very close to defeating Team USA, the eventual gold medalists, in the semi-finals, making a bronze medal seem less rewarding.
In the semi-finals against Team USA, Jokic and Serbia held a 17-point lead and were up by 13 heading into the fourth quarter. If they held on, this would have been an incredible upset. However, Team USA stormed back in the fourth quarter, ultimately winning the game by a score of 95-91. Recently, Jokic opened up about the loss, calling it “probably the worst defeat of my career.”
“It was a good match. Probably the biggest defeat of my career. [We had a] big chance. In the end, they beat us. People from the stands will probably see it as a normal defeat, but for those who played, it was certainly one of the toughest defeats in our careers.”
In the loss, Jokic recorded 17 points on 7-for-17 shooting, 11 assists, five rebounds, one steal, and one block.
Nikola Jokic Speaks About ‘the Biggest Defeat of My Career’
What’s Next for Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets?
Despite not finishing the upset in the Olympics, Jokic is still one of the best basketball players in the world. He is the reigning NBA MVP and led his team to their best record since the 2012-13 season. Additionally, Jokic is one year removed from leading the Nuggets to their first championship in franchise history.
As the start of the 2024-25 season approaches, the Nuggets remain one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Currently, the Nuggets (+1100) are tied with the Dallas Mavericks with the sixth-best odds to win the NBA Finals next year. Things could be much more difficult for the team this time around, however.
This offseason, the Nuggets lost key role player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic. Additionally, they moved on from Reggie Jackson, who is now with the Philadelphia 76ers. On the flip side, though, the Nuggets signed Dario Saric and former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook. After failing to make it back to the NBA Finals last year, it will be interesting to see if their offseason moves can lead them back this time around.
The Last Word
This season will be a major one for Jokic. He has the opportunity to win his fourth MVP award, which would tie the totals of Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James. Furthermore, he can lead the Nuggets to their second NBA championship in three seasons. Expectations are high for Jokic and the Nuggets. However, to this point, he has given fans very little reason to doubt him.
