Nikola Jokic Reveals What Nuggets Must Improve Amid Losing Streak

By falling 124-121 to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, the Denver Nuggets suffered their second consecutive loss. While this is the fourth instance this season of the Nuggets losing two straight games, their losing streaks have never reached three. What do the Nuggets have to do to avoid a third straight loss and get back in the win column?

Nuggets head coach David Adelman expressed that the team needs to string together some wins before the All-Star break, and three-time MVP center Nikola Jokic explained what they need to clean up to win more games.

"I think we need to foul more. I think we cannot have turnovers, especially the live ones, it's definitely points on the other side. So, let's do those two things," Jokic said.

Nuggets need to foul more

While it is rare to hear a player say his team needs to foul more, it makes sense in this instance. In their loss to the Pistons, the Nuggets finished with just 20 fouls, with only one player (Jonas Valanciunas) physical enough to commit more than three personal fouls. Of course, the Nuggets do not want all of their players in foul trouble, but they need to set the tone and be more aggressive.

"Just to foul more. I think the foul is a good tactic, it's a good detailing tactic," Jokic explained. "So just foul more. ... I think we need to have 25-plus [fouls]. You cannot finish the game with two, three fouls. Because it's just going to help us."

In Tuesday's loss, the Nuggets finished with a significant free-throw advantage, attempting 43 shots at the charity stripe, compared to Detroit's 30. Even with that, though, they could not pull out a win on the road.

Cleaning up the turnovers

As a team on Tuesday night, the Nuggets finished with ten turnovers. That is actually not a bad number at all, but who accounted for half of those? Jokic.

Jokic did not have his best game in Detroit, finishing with 24 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and five turnovers on 9-19 shooting from the field. This was the first time this season that Jokic finished with more turnovers than assists, and also his first game with fewer than five assists.

Jan 30, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Ball Arena. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Jokic says that if the Nuggets can foul more and commit fewer live-ball turnovers, then they should be able to get back into the win column. Of course, that is easier said than done, but this Nuggets team is certainly capable of cleaning those things up.

The Nuggets will have their first chance to get back in the win column on Wednesday night against the New York Knicks, with both teams on the second leg of a back-to-back.

Nuggets need to foul more

Cleaning up the turnovers

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