Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic in League of his Own For Playoffs

It was about a week ago that many people were wondering whether the Denver Nuggets and league MVP Nikola Jokic would be going home early from the 2024 NBA Playoffs. They had gotten off to a rough start in their Western Conference semifinal series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, leading to people believing their season was on the brink.

The Nuggets had homecourt advantage, but that was quickly erased as the Timberwolves won Game 1. Game 2 was an even bigger blowout in Minnesota’s favor, as they controlled the series heading back home up 2-0.

The talks about the reigning champs being circulated everywhere. But, in true championship fashion, they have bounced back in a major way. The Denver Nuggets have now won three games in a row and are on the brink of eliminating the Timberwolves in Game 6 on Thursday night.

A big reason they are in this position has been the performance of Nikola Jokic. The three-time league MVP has put the team on his back, producing in every facet of the game to help the Nuggets pick up wins.

In Game 5, he dominated his matchup against the Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert. Nikola Jokic scored 40 points to go along with 13 assists and seven rebounds. According to StatMuse, that has put him in a league of his own when it comes to playoff production.

That was the ninth time in his playoff career that Nikola Jokic has recorded a 30/5/10 game. Since 1965, that stat line has been achieved only six times by centers who aren’t Jokic, as his performances have been historically good.