The playoff run at a glance
After making the shock decision of firing coach Michael Malone with just a few games left of the regular season, the Denver Nuggets still managed to cling on to a fourth-place finish in the Western Conference, setting up a tantalising first-round meeting with an in-form Los Angeles Clippers.
During an absolute slugfest of a series, the Nuggets eventually came out on top in seven games, with the best team during the regular season, the Oklahoma City Thunder, waiting in the semi-finals.
Despite being on the back foot of Game 1, Denver stunned the Thunder in Oklahoma, with Aaron Gordon coming up big with a huge three-pointer to win the game. The Thunder responded with a massive 43-point blowout victory before Denver retook the lead in Game 3.
The Nuggets' failure to take Game 4 when looking like they were in a very strong position to do so in the fourth quarter was a huge turning point in the series, as the Thunder turned the tables to win the next two games and go 3-2 up.
Despite a pair of sensational 40-point games from Jokic, the big Serb went through the worst shooting slump of his career at the worst time for the Nuggets. From Game 2 to Game 4, he shot worse than 40% with at least 15 attempts in three consecutive games: regular season or playoffs.
But perhaps surprisingly, the Nuggets triumphed in Game 6, meaning they were heading to Game 7 for a second time this postseason.
There was a lot of hype and excitement going into the game, with the two leading MVP favourites, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic, going head-to-head in a do-or-die game.
But ultimately, it proved to be an absolute damp squib, as the Thunder utterly blew the Nuggets out of the water, with their ferocious athleticism and defence getting the better of a sluggish, pedestrian Denver team that didn't have the required energy or quality to survive.
And that was all she wrote for the Nuggets' 2024/25 season, as they got knocked out of the playoffs at the Western Conference semi-final stage for the second year in a row.
The biggest disappointments of the series
A lot of the role players around Jokic just didn't step up. Gordon was a hero during the playoffs, playing the best basketball of his career and even coming out to play Game 7 with a hamstring strain, despite being very clearly hampered.
But a lot of other important names just weren't up to scratch. Michael Porter Jr was woeful, averaging 9.1 points across the 14 postseason games on 39.2% shooting from the field. He also averaged just 7.4 points against the Thunder. Their sixth man, Russell Westbrook, was also very disappointing, scoring 9.9 points per game on 35% shooting.
Jamal Murray has had good games this postseason, but he continues to be so inconsistent and just not as impactful as he was during the Nuggets' title run in 2023.
Gordon and Christian Braun are two players who can come out of the playoffs with a lot of credit and will be crucial pieces for the Nuggets over the coming years. But that just wasn't enough for Denver, with Jokic simply running out of steam trying to carry the load on his own against a Thunder team that were being so physical and aggressive to him.
The future for the Nuggets
The future isn't all bleak for the Nuggets. They have just pushed the best team in the NBA this season to a Game 7, despite not having anywhere near as good a roster as them. But it is time they do Jokic justice, and build a side around him that can go on and win another NBA championship.
Their bench is extremely weak, so they need to find one or two valuable players who can bring solid minutes and give Jokic a rest, as he has been run into the ground this season.
The issue is, they don't have any good picks or many valuable tradeable assets to do that, so it is probably best they part ways with one of their starters - most likely Porter Jr. A career 40.6% shooter from behind the arc, he has had a tough playoffs, while also struggling with a shoulder injury. If the Nuggets want to improve their roster, they probably need to trade him for a few pieces.
A player who is more athletic and can improve their defence should be acquired and brought into the starting lineup, in addition to a bench player or potentially even two.
The General Manager and head coach situations are also still up in the air. Former assistant coach David Adelman took over as interim coach during the postseason, but they will have to find someone permanent during the offseason.
The players have praised Adelamn and have a good relationship with him, so he is most definitely an option. But whoever they decide upon, they no longer have any time to waste. In Jokic, they have the best player in the world on their hands, and their only option is to win.