Nikola Jokic Wants To Stay With Nuggets 'Forever', Says Team 'Far Away' From Title

Jokic becomes eligible this summer for an extension of up to four years and approximately 293 million. Denver won 54 regular-season games and entered the playoffs as a realistic championship contender. Instead, the Nuggets fell 4-2 to a Minnesota team playing without Anthony Edwards and Anthony DiVinenzo for the final two games of the series. Jokic shouldered significant responsibility for the defeat. He converted just 39 percent of his attempts in the first four games, a stark departure from his career 56 percent field goal rate. He acknowledged the shortcoming directly. A lot, Jokic said when asked how much blame he accepts. I needed to play better. I must play better. Co-star Jamal Murray struggled equally. Coming off a career-best 25.4-point regular season, Murray shot just 33 percent across the six-game series and missed 13 of 17 attempts in the decisive Game 6 against Jaden McDaniels. Injuries further complicated Denver's situation. Wing Aaron Gordon missed three games with a calf injury, and Peyton Watson sat out the entire series with a hamstring strain. Head coach David Adelman, completing his first full season after replacing fired Mike Malone, received public support from Jokic. It's not his fault we couldn't rebound, Jokic said. There is nothing to blame David Adelman. It's all us.