Anything is possible when Nikola Jokic is on your team.

No. 15 was the first thing out of Aaron Gordon’s mouth when the Nuggets’ power forward was asked what gave him confidence that this team can still win a championship.

“It comes from Nikola Jokic first and foremost,” Gordon said after Friday’s practice. “He’s the best player in the world.”

The fourth-seeded Nuggets’ quest for 16 more wins this postseason starts with Game 1 against the No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday at Ball Arena. The Clippers know what they’re up against.

“He’s the best player in the world,” Clippers forward Nic Batum said.

“The numbers have been crazy, especially the last couple of weeks.”

In the last month and change, of the regular season, Jokic became the first player to record more than 30 points, 20 rebounds and 20 assists in a game. A few weeks later hE posted the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA history with a 61-point performance against the Timberwolves. Two more triple-doubles in the three games since interim coach David Adelman took over allowed Jokic to finish the season averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists and 1.8 steals.

Jokic became the first center in NBA history to average a triple-double and the only player to finish in the top 10 in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game. The 30-year-old was in the top three of each category, cementing it as the best season of his 10-year career.

“I mean, definitely,” Jokic said Friday.

“I think the numbers show (it), too.”

Somehow, Jokic has a way of following impressive regular seasons with even better playoff performances. The increased minutes help, but Jokic has increased his scoring average by three or more points in each of his six previous postseasons.

The Clippers boast the third-best defense but lack the requisite size behind Ivica Zubac, who has Jokic’s respect.

“He’s a really good defender, of course. He’s a big body who can block a lot of shots, who is always there,” Jokic said. “It’s going to be a fun matchup.”

The 7-foot, 240-pound Croatian could very well end up as one of 10 players to make an All-Defensive team, but that’s not enough for Clippers coach Tyronn Lue to leave his lone 7-footer in a one-on-one matchup with Jokic all series.

“We know Joker’s going to be a lot to handle. It won’t be Zu by himself,” Lue said Friday.

“We understand it’s a tough task. Zu, we’ve got to keep him out of foul, keep him on the floor and kind of go from there.”

Clippers wing Derrick Jones Jr. said he prepared to help Zubac in the post, especially when he’s guarding one of the lesser shooters in Denver’s rotation. Teams have tried to disrupt Denver’s elite offense in similar ways, with varying degrees of success, in the last couple of postseasons. Heading into his first playoffs in charge, Adelman encouraged his guys to let it fly with confidence.

“You’re open; you’re an NBA player. Step into it with rhythm, trust yourself, because if we do that, now we’re opening up Nikola Jokic,” Adelman said. “It’s the most unselfish thing you can do, is take an open shot. That’s going to help Jamal (Murray) when he gets blitzed, help Nikola when they front him, when they double him, when they triple him, quadruple (team) him.”

In typical Jokic fashion, the Most Valuable Player candidate said this season feels no different than previous ones despite the Nuggets dismissing coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth with three games left in the regular season. The postseason as a whole doesn’t feel any different than the regular season, Jokic claims.

“It’s the same thing. It’s another game that we’re supposed to win,” he said.

“For me, it’s not a big mental preparation or anything. For me, it’s just another game.”

Maybe that’s why he’s been able to consistently be better in the postseason than he has in the regular season. Gordon agreed Jokic seems largely unchanged when the most important part of the NBA season begins. If there’s any difference it’s not obvious to those lining up alongside the only Finals MVP in franchise in history.

“If he just ups his level of being engaged, which is hard to say,” Gordon said, “there’s no telling what we could see.”

Regular season points/rebounds/assists vs. postseason points/rebounds assists

2018-19: 20/11/7 – 25/13/8

2019-20: 20/10/7 – 24/10/6

2020-21: 26/11/8 – 30/12/5

2021-22: 27/14/8 – 31/13/6

2022-23: 25/12/10 – 30/14/10*

2023-24: 26/12/9 – 29/13/9

2024-25: 30/13/10 – TBD

Totals rounded up

*Western Conference Finals and Finals MVP