Dec 18, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) on the bench in the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Ball Arena. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Nikola Jokic Speaks on Nuggets' Crushing Loss to Rockets

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Dec 21, 2025 3:40 PM ET

The Denver Nuggets made a statement when they beat the Houston Rockets in an overtime thriller last week, but just five days later, the two teams met again, and the result was much different. The Rockets pulled out a 115-101 win in Denver, as the Nuggets had their lowest-scoring game of the season.

From Nuggets head coach David Adelman getting ejected to Kevin Durant and Bruce Brown exchanging some harsh words, Saturday's matchup in Denver had all the makings of a high-energy playoff game. After the Nuggets' loss, Nikola Jokic was asked if it felt like a playoff game, but he thought it was more due to how the Rockets play.

"I mean we can say that, but I think that’s how they play," Jokic said. "I think it was a good regular season game."

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Jokic tells it how it is after the Nuggets' physical loss

There is no doubt that Saturday's game against the Rockets was the Nuggets' most physical game of their season so far, which certainly gave it a playoff feel from a fan's perspective. While Jokic is not willing to go as far as to call it a playoff-level game, the physical play certainly gave it a special feel.

"Yeah. I mean, I like to play with contact. It’s good, it’s a lot of bumping and pushing. It’s kind of nice," Jokic said about the physicality of Saturday's game.

The physicality certainly contributed to Adelman's fourth-quarter ejection, and the jawing between Brown and Durant added some fuel to the fire.

Kevin Durant and Bruce Brown exchange words pic.twitter.com/4tkgQ6ytgj
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 20, 2025

Jokic, however, does not mind the trash talk, acknowledging that it is part of the game.

"They can do whatever. I think some people like to do that; some people don’t care. Some people get
their energy from that. I don’t care," Jokic responded.

Jokic and the Nuggets will now move on to face the Utah Jazz on Monday, giving them an opportunity to bounce back and certainly get their legs back after the crushing, physical loss to the Rockets. Even though Denver lost, games like that are more likely to bring a team together and help them improve.