The shock dismissal of Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone in early April has led to a change in “energy” around the team, Serbian superstar Nikola Jokić admitted after a 120-101 Game 7 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.

Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets have one last chance to advance to the next round in their upcoming Game 7 on May 3 against the Los Angeles Clippers. Jokić and the Nuggets have played well, but now their backs are against the wall.

The story of this era of Denver Nuggets basketball is the story of Nikola Jokić bailing out underwhelming rosters. Their net rating drops by a million points whenever Jokić goes to the bench. They lose playoff games and series when his supporting cast can't lift him up.