Nikola Jokic will have plenty of reflecting to do after the Denver Nuggets lost 125-93 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the West Semis of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on Sunday.
Jokic and the Nuggets went the distance with a Thunder squad that won 68 games in the regular season. As a team with championship experience, they used their star core to push the series to seven games while putting a lot of pressure on Oklahoma City's young stars to respond.
Jokic went over the team's loss after the game. He understood there will be plenty of time to go over what went right and wrong for Denver but will take some time to responsibly enjoy some alcohol.
“The next couple of days is gonna be a lot of beer probably,” Jokic said.
What lies ahead for Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) watches the game from the bench in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center.
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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Nikola Jokic will take things one at a time as he and the Nuggets enter the offseason with plenty of questions to answer.
Jokic continues to maintain his form as one of the best players in the NBA. He even competed with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander throughout the series to make their respective cases on who deserved the regular-season MVP more. In the end, Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder persevered to put Jokic and the Nuggets to sleep.
Only three players scored in double-digits on Denver's behalf in the Game 7 loss, including Jokic. He led the way with 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. He shot 5-of-9 from the field, including 1-of-2 from beyond the arc, and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line. Christian Braun came next with 19 points and four rebounds, while Jamal Murray had 13 points and three steals. Meanwhile, Aaron Gordon provided eight points and 11 rebounds.
With the loss, this marks the Nuggets' second consecutive exit in the West Semis. It has been a while since Denver reached the mountaintop of NBA glory in 2023. And they have some areas to address in the offseason, especially when it comes to improving their supporting cast and contract situations with their star players.