Jokic career high not enough for Nuggets at Wizards

Nikola Jokic has scored a career-high 56 points but had little to celebrate afterwards.

It happened in a loss — to a team that hadn't won since October.

"I think today and the last couple games were really bad for us," Jokic said.

"We are really going in the wrong direction. I think it's everybody's fault."

If Jokic had any excitement over an astounding stat line that also included 16 rebounds and eight assists, he didn't show it. His efforts were wasted in a 122-113 loss on Saturday night to a Washington team that had lost 16 games in a row.

Denver (11-10) haven't won back-to-back games in nearly a month, and now the Nuggets have lost two in a row.

"In my country, where I'm coming from, after this kind of stretch, you're going to get paycheck that is a little bit less than you had hoped," the Serbian star said, drawing a laugh.

"Maybe that's what we need to do. Maybe a little motivation."

Jokic ended up attempting 38 shots from the field — also a career high — as he tried to carry Denver to a win.

His previous career high in scoring was 50 — also in a loss, at Sacramento in 2021.

Jordan Poole led Washington (3-18) with 39 points, including nine three-pointers, but the Wizards also had balance that Denver lacked. Justin Champagnie scored a career-high 23 and Jonas Valanciunas banged with Jokic inside and finished with 20.

In Charlotte, Evan Mobley scored a career-high 41 points, Donovan Mitchell added 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Cleveland extended their strong start with a 116-102 victory over the Hornets.

Mobley scored 23 points as the Cavaliers built a 40-18 lead after the first quarter en route to their 21st victory in 24 games.

At TD Garden in Boston, Ja Morant had 32 points, nine assists and nine rebounds and Memphis snapped a 10-game road losing streak in Boston with a 127-121 win over the Celtics.

Jaren Jackson Jr. added 27 points and nine rebounds for the Grizzlies (16-8), who have won eight of their last nine.

Jrue Holiday had 23 points for the Celtics (19-5), while Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard each finished with 22 points.

Elsewhere, Oklahoma City beat New Orleans, Detroit downed New York, Dallas won in Toronto and Miami defeated Phoenix.