The Denver Nuggets were a little sluggish in their playoff run last year.
Following the 2023 NBA All-Star break, the Nuggets had a 12-11 record. It appeared as though Nikola Jokić was unmotivated to win another MVP award. After returning from an ACL tear for a whole season, Jamal Murray appeared to be still looking for consistency. Finally, by the end of April, the squad had matured into a championship-caliber powerhouse.
This season, it appears that won’t be the case. As if the rest of the league wasn’t scared enough, they should be.
Following the All-Star break, Denver went on a tear, going 10-1. Only in overtime did the Nuggets’ sole opponent, the Phoenix Suns, fall to the NBA. Aside from that, they’ve been hammering teams like the Miami Heat (twice), Boston Celtics, and Golden State Warriors, who are either good or desperate.
In addition, Jokić has been outstanding. Post-All-Star, he’s shooting 60.5% from the floor and averaging 25.4 points, 13.6 boards, and 10.2 assists. Six of the Joker’s previous eleven games have had triple doubles, while just two of his opponents have shot less than 50% from the field.
The Nuggets’ game is just stunning. The league’s most unstoppable offensive threat, Jokić, is also the ideal complement to Denver’s egalitarian approach because to his lack of selfishness. As teams contort themselves into pretzels to stop Joker, the offence thrives thanks to the flawlessly cast supporting cast, who consistently provide quality shots. Watching Denver’s laser-focus on its execution makes for stunning basketball. The Nuggets can only hope that their opponents miss the good look that has been produced because they are unstoppable.
The Nuggets’ recent winning streak, by the way, has major consequences. Throughout the entire season, the Denver Nuggets, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Minnesota Timberwolves have all been involved in a battle for the top seed. Despite Karl-Anthony Towns’s best efforts, the Wolves will find it difficult to compete with OKC and Denver while he heals from knee surgery. It might be game over for the West if the Nuggets secure the one-seed. In the entire 2017–18 postseason, Denver only had one home loss; prior to the NBA Finals, that number was zero. Assuming Denver maintains its present level of play, the Nuggets will very certainly have home court, which is something that championship hopes just cannot afford.
As the Nuggets continue their winning streak, it’s impossible not to feel good about watching. Tragedies in the playoffs befell Jokić, Murray, and Michael Malone before injuries halted the team’s advancement for successive seasons. Denver, however, remained undeterred and, with the help of its front office, assembled a stellar supporting cast that would render its superstars even more lethal. After Murray’s injury robbed him two playoff runs, the Nuggets could have become a “what if?” club, but instead they’ve gone full circle, going from upstart to postseason pest to dominant force.
Forget about the Nuggets’ sluggish play. Denver, when fit and focused, annihilates opponents with robotic efficiency. Last year, the Nuggets might have sprung some surprises. Perhaps their opponents were fooled into thinking they were unbeatable by their weak playoff performance.
That is not going to happen this year. Furthermore, Denver is unconcerned. Nobody should be surprised. As far as the Nuggets are concerned, no other club in the NBA can match their gear. What if they climb even higher from their current position? There is no one who can keep up.