The season has officially ended for the Denver Nuggets, and it couldn’t have been more dramatic—blowing a 20-point lead in a Game 7 home loss.

While Michael Malone expressed his frustration to the media, Nikola Jokic maintained a much calmer demeanor.

“I think the team who wins is the better team,” Jokic remarked after the game. “In a best-of-seven series, the team that wins is the better team.”

Almost every analyst, critic, and NBA fan anticipated that the Denver Nuggets would repeat as NBA champions this season. They were the favorites throughout the season and most of the playoffs. However, the team unexpectedly didn’t even reach the Western Conference Finals. Jokic believes this is because every other team has improved since last season.

“I don’t know. We didn’t accomplish that, so I don’t know,” Jokic said regarding their failure to repeat. “It’s hard because the teams are hungrier, more talented than last year probably. Everybody got better, everybody wants to beat us probably. That’s my thought process.”

Throughout most of their losses to the Timberwolves, the Nuggets struggled to convert their wide-open three-pointers. This trend continued in Game 7, where the team squandered a 20-point lead in the second half.

“Sometimes you make shots, sometimes you miss shots,” Jokic remarked. “Today I think we missed a lot of good shots, but that’s not just on us. They played some good defense, which is why they are the number one defense in the NBA.”

As a result, the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic will have more time this summer than anyone anticipated. If there’s a silver lining to this defeat, it’s that the team will likely return next season with a greater hunger and determination.