The Denver Nuggets are growing increasingly worried about how Nikola Jokic is being defended in the final stretch of the 2025-26 regular season, raising questions about their playoff outlook.
Despite Jokic continuing to deliver MVP-caliber performances with video-game numbers, opposing teams have ramped up their physical and disruptive schemes against the three-time MVP. NBA insider Marc Spears recently highlighted the Nuggets’ concerns on ESPN’s NBA Today:
“I’m actually hearing that the Nuggets are a little concerned about how he’s being defended of late. Teams are guarding him 18 feet from the basket, leaning on his legs, fronting him, putting their arms around him, but he’s still figuring out a way to ball out.”
Jokic remains one of the most dominant and complete offensive players in the league. He is averaging approximately 28.0 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game while shooting over 57% from the field. He has overcome every defensive wrinkle thrown at him over the past six years, earning three MVP awards in the process. Yet recent weeks have shown him working noticeably harder just to keep Denver competitive in close games.
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This development is particularly surprising because Jokic has long been viewed as nearly impossible to neutralize. He effortlessly scores or creates high-quality looks for teammates by drawing constant defensive attention. Now, defenses are forcing him into quicker decisions farther from the basket, adding physical wear that has the Nuggets organization on edge heading into the postseason.
Denver’s Slippery Position in the West
The Nuggets have clearly fallen behind the elite tier in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs sit atop the standings, while Denver is battling for positioning among a pack of teams fighting for home-court advantage or even a top-four seed. With playoff intensity on the horizon, every detail matters—and the extra toll on Jokic is an unwelcome development for a team with championship aspirations.
Playoff basketball amplifies these concerns. Opponents will have seven games to refine schemes specifically designed to exhaust Jokic, something that has rarely worked against him since the start of the decade. The fact that teams are making the Serbian star labor for his production marks a potential shift that Denver must address quickly.
Supporting Cast Must Elevate
For the Nuggets to make another deep run, the burden cannot fall solely on Jokic. Jamal Murray needs to recapture his proven playoff magic as a reliable second star, creating offense and relieving pressure on the big man. Aaron Gordon has been vital to Denver’s success; the team performs significantly better when he is healthy and active on both ends of the floor.
Role players will also need to step up. In the offseason, Denver made bold moves by trading Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Cameron Johnson (along with acquiring Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. in related maneuvers). The goal was to gain flexibility, depth, and better spacing while managing the salary sheet. Those additions must now deliver in high-stakes games to justify the risk and give Jokic the help he needs for another title chase.
The Nuggets’ “nightmare” element this season isn’t Jokic’s individual decline—he is still playing at an elite level despite the physical punishment. Instead, it is the combination of tougher defensive attention on their superstar, a crowded Western Conference race, and the urgent need for the full roster to respond when it matters most.
If Murray, Gordon, and the supporting cast rise to the occasion, Denver can still pose a serious threat in the playoffs. But the surprising concern over how teams are defending Jokic serves as a clear warning: the margin for error is shrinking, and the entire team must elevate its play to avoid a disappointing end to what has otherwise been another historic individual season for the Joker.