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By Matt Audilet
Contributing Sports Writer
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Nikola Jokic and the No. 3 seed Denver Nuggets were eliminated from the NBA playoffs on Thursday night, suffering a Game 6 loss against the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves.
While Jokic posted solid averages in the Nuggets' first-round series, he didn't play up to his MVP-caliber standard. He was particularly bad from behind the 3-point arc, shooting 19.4% on six attempts per game.
The Nuggets entered the playoffs with championship aspirations, so this first-round exit is a huge disappointment for the franchise.
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So, could some major institutional changes be coming in Denver?
Jokic was asked that question during a postgame press conference on Thursday night.
“We just lost in the first round. I think we are far away [from being a championship contender]," the superstar center said.
“That’s not my decision. Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all get fired," he added.
The Nuggets fired now-former head coach Michael Malone, the winningest coach in franchise history, with just a few games remaining in the 2024-25 season. Now, Denver's first full season under head coach David Adelman ends with a first-round exit in the playoffs.
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Jokic defended Adelman, taking responsibility for the loss.
"It's not his fault we couldn't rebound," Jokic said of Adelman. "It's not his fault we couldn't catch the ball very well. There is nothing to blame David Adelman. It's all us."
The Timberwolves now advance to a second-round matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.
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