Jokic, Murray leads Nuggets to second round for first time since 2009

The lights were bright. The stage was international. The building was packed. The tension in the final moments before Game 7 between the Nuggets and Spurs tipped off? Palpable. And just as he has throughout the first six games of Denver’s first-round series, Nikola Jokic seized the moment.

Jokic was magnificent in his first career Game 7, leading Denver to the second round of the playoffs in a 90-86 win when few of his teammates could find any sort of an offensive rhythm Saturday night.

Denver and San Antonio combined to shoot 8-43 from 3. The Spurs’ cold shooting helped the Nuggets get out to a quick double-digit first-quarter lead, which they maintained for most of the night. But San Antonio trimmed Denver’s advantage to as few as five points with just over two minutes remaining, and then two with under a 52 seconds to go. A Jamal Murray runner from the elbow clinched the win and helped Denver move on to the second round for the first time since 2009.

Jokic finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, his second triple-double of the playoffs and another stat line that was par for the course considering what he’s done this series. He’s erased a lot of the question marks that pundits had placed on him and if his game would translate to the postseason.

“Its only strengthened my belief that he’s a future Hall-of-Famer. He’s an All-NBA player, he’s an MVP candidate,” Michael Malone said prior to Game 7 about Jokic’s performance in the first six games of the series.

Murray scored a team-high 23 points for Denver in the win.

Game 1 versus Portland is set for Monday night at Pepsi Center.