Nikola Jokic's path to stardom paved by teammates' resilience and Denver Nugget's underdog status

The Denver Nuggets have earned their place in this season's NBA finals, and the man of the hour is two-time MVP winner Nikola Jokic.

From being drafted during a Taco Bell commercial in 2014 to being named the NBA MVP for the second season in a row, the Serb has been crucial to his team's success this season, despite allegedly taking a more reserved role in the proceedings.

And while the franchise have entertained their fans in recent seasons by playing a high-octane, high-altitude style of basketball, they have him to thank for being closer to claiming the title than ever before.

The 4-0 Western Conference final whitewash of the Los Angeles Lakers reinforced the belief that it'll be his turn to lift the Larry O'Brien trophy this June.

Jokic showcased the full range of his skills, averaging 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 11.8 assists. In doing so, he joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double in back-to-back playoff series.

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Meanwhile, Jamal Murray was equally devastating, notching four consecutive 25-point games in his first postseason since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament last April.

Together the pair dismantled the LA defence with ease, and it was a feat that teammate Aaron Gordon also lapped up.

"Ooh, that's a bad duo," he grinned. "Those are bad boys right there. I mean, you could stack those two up with anybody. When I say anybody, I mean anybody. You put those two up against anybody, and you'll have a hell of a fight."

Gordon's words, spoken after Game 2, wrung true. Thanks to a Serbian second-round pick, a Canadian sharpshooter, and its talented, selfless supporting cast, the Nuggets were finally within reaching distance of their first championship banner.

However, with so much at stake, the players still hold back from considering themselves victors.

"We just want to make the most of the opportunity," Murray reiterated. "First Nuggets team to do this and that. We want to go all the way and stay locked in.

"I think our chemistry is at an all-time high, the way we play, the way we read the game without even speaking. We talk that language on the court. It's just beautiful basketball, honestly.

"It's so fun to play with this team, with (Jokic) and with the coaching staff that has groomed us into the team that we are.

"It's just a great mixture, a great group of guys.

"The camaraderie is there, the chemistry is there, the talent is there, the IQ is there, and the unselfishness is there. It's a brotherhood."

With Michael Porter Jr. also in tow, the brotherhood has battled the highs and lows of the regular season and navigated itself to the upper echelons of the professional league.

Whenever a challenge arises, whether it's in the doldrums of a dominant campaign or a tough playoff matchup with the star-studded Phoenix Suns and Lakers, Jokic's Nuggets figure out a path around it, over it or through it to keep moving toward their goal.

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Last season's first-round elimination at the hands of the Golden State Warriors feels more a product of critical players absent and nursing injuries than anything else.

Just don't tell them they're the clear favourites to win it all. They still seem fuelled by an underlying anger and an inferiority complex about their collective success, even after winning three Northwest Division titles and six playoff series (and counting) during five straight postseason appearances.

Something about the media lens focusing on James' demise this week, rather than Jokic's infallibility, has definitely ruffled a few feathers.

Whether they want to accept it or not, they hold all the cards; such has been the transformative powers of head coach Mike Malone and his coaching staff. So when his players return to the court in nine days' time, they'll be deemed favourites to win.