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.

In the weeks following Michael Malone's late-season firing from the Denver Nuggets, we've seen glimpses of Nikola Jokić clearly taking on a more vocal player-coaching role with his teammates. Interim head coach David Adelman's steady approach to asking Nuggets players to take more of a personal responsibility for their play has likely resonated with the three-time MVP the most of all.

The Denver Nuggets are headed to the Western Conference Semifinals as they prepare for an epic showdown against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The story all season has been Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić vying for the NBA MVP award,