Nikola Jokic Admits One Thing Is Holding Nuggets Back From Title Contention

The Denver Nuggets were on top of the world when they won the NBA Finals in 2023. Led by Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets were optimistic they'd be hanging around title contention for years to come after their championship. However, since winning it all, they have failed to even reach the Western Conference Finals, with two second-round exits and their most recent first-round crash.

Still, heading into the 2026-27 season, there is hope that the Nuggets can get back to contending for a championship. How can they get there, though? In a recent interview with Complex, Jokic said there is one thing the Nuggets need to win a championship: better health.

"I mean, definitely we need to stay healthy," Jokic said. "That's going to be the number one key for us. We failed on that part for a couple years. I think [the last] two or three years, it seems like we were not healthy when we need it the most. I think staying healthy is probably the number one thing."

Complex on the Scene went international to link up with Nikola Jokic in his hometown of Sombor 🐎@ComplexSports | @FanaticsSports | @Sprite | @Ben_Felderstein

👂 Listen to the 3x MVP's insights on the upcoming NBA campaign, horse racing, Ant Edwards & more ... pic.twitter.com/gHzVedd975
— Complex Bets (@ComplexBets) October 12, 2026

Obviously, this is no secret for the Nuggets. Fans have been hoping the team can stay healthy after injuries started getting the best of them a couple of years ago, but they got the worst of it during their 2025-26 campaign.

Nuggets' injury plague

Last season, the Nuggets got the worst of the worst in terms of injuries. Let's take a look at some of their most notable injury impacts from last year:

Player	2025-26 Games Missed
Aaron Gordon	46
Christian Braun	38
Cameron Johnson	28
Peyton Watson	28
Nikola Jokic	17

After the first few weeks of the season, it became a rare sight to see the Nuggets with their full lineup available. In fact, they went from November 12 to March 6 without their usual starting lineup all on the floor together.

By the end of the season, the Nuggets' starting lineup had played just 23 games together. This trend even continued into the playoffs, as Gordon missed three of Denver's six first-round games, and Watson did not suit up at all in the postseason.

When fully healthy, the Nuggets were one of the league's top teams. They won 18 of the 23 games (.783) with all their starters playing, which would've put them on pace to tie the Oklahoma City Thunder's 64-win mark for the top team in the NBA.

Health is key

As Jokic says, the Nuggets need to stay healthy this season. They kept their core intact, except for Watson, because they are confident in what this group can do. Even with all of their injuries last season, they won 54 games and finished with the league's top offense.

If this core can stay healthy for a full season, especially with the new supporting cast they brought in, they should be in line to compete for a championship. With Jokic, Gordon, and Jamal Murray leading the way, there are no more excuses for Denver if they can stay healthy.

Time will tell what happens with this Nuggets team, but Jokic is spot on about their health being the main factor.

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