The Denver Nuggets watched their playoff journey come to a halt on Sunday, succumbing to a decisive 125-93 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7. This loss stings, especially considering it leaves the Nuggets just shy of their second trip to the Western Conference Finals in three seasons.
In a battle that showcased two of the league’s MVP frontrunners, Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, it was a tough night for Jokic. He was consistently pressured by Oklahoma City’s Alex Caruso, leading to a performance that saw him manage only 20 points on a night where he needed to shine brightest. The Thunder’s relentless defense, which boasted the league’s best marks for steals and forced turnovers this past season, stymied the Nuggets’ offense and allowed their own dynamic scoring to flourish.
After the game, Jokic didn’t shy away from acknowledging the areas the Nuggets need to improve if they want to contend for a championship moving forward. “We definitely need to figure out a way to get more depth,” he remarked candidly. His observation points to a significant trend among successful teams; those with longer rotations and deeper benches, like the Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, are finding success while the Nuggets’ reliance on their star duo has left them somewhat exposed.
Jokic elaborated on the demands of competing against top-tier teams like the Clippers and the Thunder, highlighting the challenges of asking players who may have seen limited action throughout the season to step up in crunch time. “We cannot ask for somebody who didn’t play maybe 20, 30 games to jump in and be good,” he said.
Teammate Aaron Gordon, who played valiantly through a hamstring sprain in the decisive Game 7, echoed Jokic’s sentiments about the toll this playoff series took on their energy levels. The Nuggets’ top-heavy roster simply couldn’t match the depth of Oklahoma City, which often rolls out lineups that go at least nine deep, allowing them to maintain intensity without the need to shorten rotations.
As the Nuggets head into an offseason filled with uncertainty, they not only face the challenge of adding depth to the roster but also have front office decisions to make. They are now tasked with filling key vacancies after the departures of general manager Calvin Booth and head coach Michael Malone last month.
For now, Jokic intends to take a well-deserved break from the demands of the NBA, but you can bet he’ll be thinking about how the Nuggets can rebound and come back stronger next season. The quest for a championship continues, and for a team with such a powerful core, the hope is that with the right adjustments, they can seize the opportunity when it comes knocking again.
