Recap: Denver Nuggets Play Second Game Without Nikola Jokic, Lose Big to Memphis Grizzlies 105-90

Nuggets Struggle Without Star Center

The Denver Nuggets dropped their second consecutive game without Nikola Jokic on Monday night, falling 105-90 to the Memphis Grizzlies at Ball Arena. In the absence of their reigning MVP, the Nuggets offense sputtered, shooting just 38.5% from the field and 23.1% from three-point range. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 26 points and seven assists, but he was unable to get much help from his teammates. Aaron Gordon added 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Michael Porter Jr. scored 16 points.

Grizzlies Take Advantage of Short-Handed Nuggets

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, took advantage of the Nuggets' shorthandedness, shooting 49.4% from the field and 37.0% from three-point range. Ja Morant led the way for Memphis with 35 points and seven assists, while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 20 points and 10 rebounds. "We're fighting, and we're going to continue to fight," Gordon said after the game. "We're a tough team, and we're going to figure this out. We just have to get better in a lot of areas, and we know that. We're not going to let this get us down."

Can the Nuggets Turn Things Around?

With Jokic set to miss at least the next two games, the Nuggets will need to find their identity and pick up the slack in his absence. They will look to turn things around on Wednesday night when they host the Sacramento Kings. The Nuggets have a tough task ahead of them, but they have shown in the past that they can win without Jokic. In the 2020-21 season, the Nuggets went 8-3 without their star center. Whether or not the Nuggets can replicate that success this time around remains to be seen, but they will need to start playing better if they want to remain in the playoff hunt.