May 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) talks to an official during a break in play against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter during game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Nikola Jokic Makes NBA History in Nuggets-Thunder Game 7

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated May 18, 2025 6:22 PM ET

After a huge Game 6 win to keep their season alive, the Denver Nuggets could not repeat their success facing elimination.

In a win-or-go-home Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon, the Nuggets fell apart. With a chance to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Finals, the Thunder beat the Nuggets 125-93, led by superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with 35 points on 12-19 shooting from the field and 3-4 from beyond the arc.

Of course, the NBA MVP award is decided before the postseason starts, but Gilgeous-Alexander leading the Thunder past Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets certainly proved that he deserves the nod this year.

In a losing effort, Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists on 5-9 shooting from the field and 9-11 from the free-throw line.

Still, Jokic climbed up some prestigious NBA leaderboards. Jokic passed NBA superstar Kevin Durant on the all-time playoff assist leaderboard, moving into 35th place with 712 assists. Jokic also passed Rip Hamilton for 44th place on the NBA all-time playoff point list with 2,580.

Nikola Jokic this playoffs:

1st in points
1st in rebounds
1st in assists
1st in steals
1st in stocks
1st in double-doubles
1st in triple-doubles
1st in field goals

Insane run. pic.twitter.com/VHSdJ04Ave
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 18, 2025

On top of those feats, Jokic also passed Hall of Famers Michael Jordan and Dave DeBusschere for 38th place on the league's all-time playoff rebound list with 1,159.

Jokic continues to cement himself among the NBA's best to ever play, and even though he and the Nuggets fell apart in Sunday's Game 7, the three-time MVP has proven to be one of the best big men of all time.

This article first appeared on Denver Nuggets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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