{"id":1310249,"date":"2019-05-13T22:36:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-14T04:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/jokic-nuggets-think-big-in-wake-of-stinging-game-7-loss\/"},"modified":"2019-05-13T22:36:00","modified_gmt":"2019-05-14T04:36:00","slug":"jokic-nuggets-think-big-in-wake-of-stinging-game-7-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/jokic-nuggets-think-big-in-wake-of-stinging-game-7-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Jokic, Nuggets think big in wake of stinging Game 7 loss"},"content":{"rendered":"
Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris (14) and center Nikola Jokic (15) react as time runs out in the second half of Game 7 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday in Denver.<\/strong>
David Zalubowski \/ AP | AP<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

DENVER \u2014 Things Nikola Jokic needs to improve on in the offseason: \u201cIs there anything?\u201d the Denver Nuggets big man joked.<\/p>\n

Hard to find many glitches in his game right now.<\/p>\n

By all measures, Jokic and the youthful Nuggets are ahead of schedule despite the sting of a Game 7 loss at home to Portland in the Western Conference semifinals. No one predicted the Nuggets being the two seed in the West this season. After all, they hadn\u2019t even been to the playoffs since 2013.<\/p>\n

And few projected the meteoric rise of Jokic, the 24-year-old with the awkward gait who sees the game with a point guard\u2019s vision. The 7-footer averaged 25.1 points, 13 rebounds and 8.4 assists in his first foray into the postseason.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re supposed to be sad,\u201d Jokic said of the season coming to a close. \u201cBut at the end of the day we had a good season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soon, Jokic will head home to Serbia as he turns his focus from hoops to his horses. It\u2019s his way of escaping from a Game 7 in which the Nuggets surrendered a 17-point lead to the Trail Blazers. This after knocking off San Antonio in seven games during the first round.<\/p>\n

\u201cWinning is really fun. We won one series against San Antonio that was really tough and fun,\u201d said Jokic, who posted four triple-doubles during the playoffs. \u201cWe had a really good series against Portland. It was fun. But we didn\u2019t win.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the bigger decisions looming for Denver is what to do with Paul Millsap, who at 34 is the old-timer on a youthful Nuggets team. His future in the Mile High City could be uncertain given that he\u2019s due $30 million should the team pick up his option. Asked if the Nuggets might be his best chance at winning an NBA title, the veteran power forward turned into a comedian.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could go to the Golden State Warriors,\u201d he cracked Monday as the Nuggets cleaned out their lockers.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s always that. Only, Millsap envisions grand things for a Nuggets team that opened many eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what makes this year so special \u2014 this team was doubted throughout the whole year. We couldn\u2019t do this. We couldn\u2019t do that. We\u2019re not good enough. We\u2019re too young. Blah. Blah. Blah,\u201d Millsap said. \u201cWe\u2019ve proved everybody wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Nuggets boast a talented tandem in point guard Jamal Murray and Jokic. They also have a deep bench that was solid all season, before struggling at times throughout the playoffs.<\/p>\n

Denver could be an attractive destination for some free agent. More specifically, a perimeter shooter. Denver was 2 of 19 from 3-point range in the finale against Portland.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot one team is perfect, but I think we have a great group of guys,\u201d Jokic said. \u201cI don\u2019t know what we need more, because we were winning games. We were beating everybody. So I don\u2019t know what else we can add. I really like the group of guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

PORTER UPDATE<\/p>\n

Michael Porter Jr. said he expects to play in the summer league after sitting out all season following back surgery. Porter was the 14th overall pick in the draft last summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way I feel now, it\u2019s leaps and bounds beyond where I thought I\u2019d be at this point,\u201d Porter said.<\/p>\n

VISITORS WELCOME?<\/p>\n

Gary Harris has made arrangements to visit Jokic in Serbia. If any other teammate wants to stop by as well, just remember one thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my place. The people love me there,\u201d Jokic said. \u201cI don\u2019t want some (of them) to come and take my crown.\u201d<\/p>\n

SUMMER PLANS<\/p>\n

Murray was mum on whether he would play for Canada in the FIBA World Cup in China this summer. Jokic was still contemplating if he would suit up for Serbia. As for Juancho Hernangomez, he\u2019s hoping to play for Spain.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m with my idols so it\u2019s going to be fun,\u201d Hernangomez said.<\/p>\n

MOTIVATION<\/p>\n

It was a roller-coaster year for guard Will Barton, who had right hip\/core muscle surgery early in the season, struggled at times with his jumper and was moved to the bench during the playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust tough season for me mentally, physically, everything,\u201d Barton said. \u201cBut that\u2019ll motivate me as usual.\u201d<\/p>\n

WARRIORS-ESQUE<\/p>\n

The Nuggets are taking a page from the Warriors, whose squad lost in the 2013-14 postseason before going on a title binge.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody wants to win the championship,\u201d guard Monte Morris said. \u201cBut at the end of the day, there\u2019s nothing like experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

More AP NBA: https:\/\/apnews.com\/NBA<\/a> and https:\/\/twitter.com\/AP\u2014Sports<\/a><\/p>\n

via:: Post Independent<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris (14) and center Nikola Jokic (15) react as time runs out in the second half of Game 7 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday in Denver.David Zalubowski \/ AP | AP DENVER \u2014 Things Nikola Jokic needs to improve on in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1310249","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-17 08:35:30","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1310249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1310249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1310249\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1310249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1310249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1310249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}