Nikola Jokic's defensive workload could help explain his offensive slump for Nuggets

Everybody knows just how good Nikola Jokic's offense is. The three-time MVP has been one of the best offensive players of the past six years. He's the engine of the Denver Nuggets' offense. But in 2026-27, Jokic has been much more active on the defensive side of the ball than fans are used to, especially this early in the season. He's been quick with his hands and feet, but has that added exertion contributed to the relative slow start he and the Nuggets offense are in?

It's possible. Jokic's been aggressive in the passing lanes, and he's been deflecting a lot of passes. He's averaging 1.9 steals per game because of it, and the Nuggets have a good 111.9 defensive rating in his 326 minutes…