After a grueling playoff run ended in a crushing 125-93 Game 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic didn’t need much time to process what came next.
His response at the postgame press conference was pure Jokic: honest, unfiltered, and unmistakably him.
“The next couple of days is gonna be a lot of beer probably.”
"The next couple of days is gonna be a lot of beer probably.”
— Nikola Jokic. 🤣🍺
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 18, 2025
The three-time MVP had just wrapped up another phenomenal individual season. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists during the regular season on elite shooting splits of 57.6 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from deep.
In the playoffs, he put up 26.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, continuing to perform like the best player in the world. But it wasn’t enough.
Denver’s title defense came undone not due to a lack of star power at the top but from issues deeper down the roster. Their shortened bench, the wear on Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, and an untimely hamstring strain to Gordon in Game 6 made the final game nearly unwinnable.
Despite putting up 20 points, nine boards, and seven assists in Game 7, Jokic attempted just nine shots, visibly frustrated by the defensive wall OKC had built around him.
The Thunder, led by MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, had more energy, more depth, and a longer rotation, something Jokic alluded to when assessing his team’s outlook.
But while the media was eager to dissect Denver’s future, Jokic wasn’t rushing into any existential discussions just yet. Instead, he made it clear he’d be spending the immediate future with beer in hand and likely with his horses back home in Serbia.
The offseason could be transformative for the Nuggets. With former head coach Michael Malone fired late in the regular season and interim coach David Adelman still under evaluation, Denver’s leadership remains in flux.
Jokic himself said he isn’t certain about participating in EuroBasket this summer, emphasizing that he needs to speak with Serbian coaches and teammates before deciding.
Still, Jokic’s postgame attitude was a reminder of why he’s one of the NBA’s most unique superstars and was fiercely competitive, brutally honest, and refreshingly grounded.
For now, the MVP isn’t thinking about trades, rotations, or EuroBasket. He’s thinking about cold beer, rest, and silence, and who could blame him? After carrying Denver all year, the man has earned it.
