Nikola Jokic will play in his seventh Game 7 this Sunday when the Oklahoma City Thunder welcome the Denver Nuggets. The three-time MVP has four wins so far, but not so many great performances. While the Joker has great runs in the playoffs, his Game 7 performances are not comparable to the likes of LeBron James or Steph Curry, for example. With that in mind, let’s try and rank his performances, going from worst to best.
Game 7 Joker: Ranking Nikola Jokic Under the Highest Stakes
Before we go, we have to mention that even the bad performances by Jokic are great games. And to be fair, in the two losses, he was not the reason the Nuggets lost those games. In any case, here is how Jokic has played in Game 7s so far, and what we can expect from him against the Thunder.
6. Nuggets vs. Clippers, 2025 Western Conference First Round
This was the most recent Game 7 Jokic played in. But it was also one of his worst performances in terms of contribution to the team. To be fair, the Nuggets played great, and there was no reason for Nikola to spend time on the floor. He played only 32 minutes and finished with 16 points on 6-14 shooting, to go along with 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun carried the Nuggets in this game. Whether that will be the case against the OKC Thunder, let’s wait and see. But if Jokic has help from his teammates, he always delivers a decent game.
5. Nuggets @ Clippers, 2020 Western Conference Semifinals
Many Nuggets fans remember the 2020 postseason as the coming-out party for Jamal Murray, as he scored 40+ points three times in the first round. Denver came back from a 3-1 deficit twice that postseason. In the first round, they defeated the Utah Jazz, and in the second round, they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, thereby preventing a battle for LA in the Western Conference Finals.
In the series against the Clippers, Jokic carried the team throughout the first six games, with Jamal Murray having average games. But then in Game 7, Murray took over with 40 points. As for the Joker, he had 16 points on 5-13 shooting, but grabbed 22 rebounds and dished 13 assists. The Nuggets routed the Clippers in Game 7, winning 104-89.
4. Nuggets vs. Trail Blazers, 2019 Western Conference Semifinals
This was the first time Jokic lost a Game 7, despite playing good. He scored 29 points on 11-26 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds and two assists. The Nuggets as a team shot 2-19 from behind the arc, and Jokic was responsible for those two makes. If his teammates made more shots, he would have had more assists and maybe won this game. Aside from the Joker, the team shot 22-63 from the field, good for 34%.
3. Nuggets vs. Spurs, 2019 Western Conference First Round
This was a typical Joker game, and he was still not at his peak. Nikola made the playoffs for the first time in 2019, and he began strong. In his first career Game 7, Jokic posted a triple-double with 21 points, 15 rebounds (five offensive), and 10 assists. The only weakness is that he was struggling from the floor, going 9-26 and 0-4 from behind the arc. Yet, in a game that finished 90-86, Jokic was responsible for almost half of the team’s points (points + assists).
2. Nuggets vs. Timberwolves, 2024 Western Conference Semifinals
In last year’s playoffs, the Nuggets lost a Game 7 on their home floor to Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves. Heavily favored to make it out of the West, Denver lost in the second round.
Nikola, however, was great in this game, scoring 34 points on 13-28 shooting, to go along with 19 rebounds and seven assists. The game ended 98-90, and Jokic was responsible for more than half of the team’s points (points + assists). However, he shot only 2-10 from behind the arc, and the team went 8-33, that was the reason they lost.
1. Nuggets vs. Jazz, 2020 Western Conference First Round
Scoring 30+ points in a Game 7 is a great feat. But doing that when the game finishes 80-78? That is even more impressive. Jokic had several clutch plays in the last seven minutes of the game, including the go-ahead bucket to give Denver the 80-78 lead over Rudy Gobert. On top of his 30 points, Jokic had 15 rebounds and four assists.
Featured image: © Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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