Nikola Jokić feels his Denver Nuggets are growing on the defensive end of the court.

Not at a “rapid” pace, the former MVP noted in a postgame press conference following the Nuggets’ 117-100 win over the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 8, but growing nonetheless. 

“There is a progress and we are getting better in each segment that we want to get better,” Jokić said. “I think it’s more defensively than offensively. So there is a progress, but I’m not going to say it’s rapidly, and it shouldn’t be rapidly.”

According to Jokić, it begins with controlling things on defense. In other words, Denver’s success is rooted in containing its opponent and forcing them into situations that favor the Nuggets.

“We control it,” Jokić said. “We are trying to put [our] hands on people and trying to push them out into all the space and making them uncomfortable. We are trying to make them [shoot] shots that kind of we want them to shoot. So, I think there is an improvement in that segment.” 

The Pacers shot just 8-for-36 from 3-point range and just over 35% from the field against the Nuggets in their matchup, which may be a direct result of what Jokić was alluding to – Denver forcing the opponent into “unconfortable” situations. 

Indiana was not as successful in its defensive effort, as the Nuggets had five players score in double figures. Jokić, as he has in all of Denver’s contests thus far, continued to light up the stat sheet with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists. On the season, the seven-time all-star is averaging 25.2 points, 13 rebounds and 11.9 assists. 

Those game-altering statlines have not come without their turnovers, though, as Jokić is averaging 3.1 per game and racked up a season-high of eight against the Pacers. 

That will be something, in addition to their defense, the Nuggets will have to continue to fine tune as they move forward in their quest to return to the NBA Finals. 

What the Nuggets can lean on in that effort is its depth and its continuity. 

Denver has the same three major contributors in Jokić, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon that it did in 2023 when the team defeated the Miami Heat in the Finals. Not to mention they still have guard Christian Braun and Bruce Brown, two familiar faces from that postseason run as well. 

Additionally, the Nuggets added some new faces this offseason that have paired well with the team’s staple players throughout the first nine games of the season. Players like Cameron Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valančiūnas have all impacted the team in different ways and have added depth that will prove important come the spring. 

The Nuggets play the Sacramento Kings (3-7) at 11 p.m. EST on Nov. 11.