Nikola Jokic Keeps Focus on Winning After Nuggets Beat Pacers in Mexico City

Nikola Jokic left Mexico City after another productive performance, but his postgame message focused on the Denver Nuggets' collective achievement.

Denver defeated the Indiana Pacers 114-102 on Saturday, improving to 5-3 behind a balanced offensive effort. Jokic finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, helping the Nuggets secure a victory without needing an overwhelming scoring performance from their centerpiece.

For Jokic, the outcome carried more importance than his individual totals.

“To win is the most important thing, I do not think about stats,” Jokic said.

His assessment fit a night when Denver received contributions throughout its rotation. The Nuggets had enough offense around Jokic to build a substantial advantage, then recovered when Indiana threatened to make the finish uncomfortable.

Cameron Johnson scored a season-high 18 points, while Jamal Murray added 16. Spencer Jones contributed 13 points and six rebounds in his season debut after missing time with a hamstring injury.

Aaron Gordon finished with 12 points, DeMar DeRozan scored 11 and Marvin Bagley III added 10. Seven Nuggets reached double figures, and all 11 players who appeared scored. 

That distribution offers an encouraging example of how Denver can support its stars. When several players contribute, the offense has more ways to finish possessions and fewer reasons to depend on a difficult individual shot.

Jones’ return also gave the Nuggets another contributor on a night when the supporting cast made a substantial difference. His production immediately added something useful to the rotation.

The broader significance is straightforward: Denver can benefit from Jokic’s passing and decision-making without requiring him to supply a huge scoring total every game.

Saturday’s result provided an example of that approach producing a win.

Nuggets head coach David Adelman also recognized the setting after the game, praising the crowd’s enthusiasm.

“The energy was awesome,” Adelman said.

Denver played in front of a lively Mexico City audience and delivered a victory in its first regular-season appearance there. Indiana fell to 3-7 despite an effort to work its way back into contention. 

The Nuggets still have reason to examine how the game became more competitive after they established control. Building a lead and protecting it require the same attention to execution, particularly when an opponent begins finding momentum.

For Adelman, the useful takeaway is that Denver had multiple players capable of contributing when the game demanded a response.

For Jokic, the final assessment was even simpler. His points, rebounds and assists helped the Nuggets, but the win was the result he wanted.

Denver’s challenge is to repeat that collective production consistently. Saturday showed how effective the Nuggets can be when the responsibility extends throughout the lineup.