The Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz will kick off the NBA playoffs at 1:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 17. Denver comes in as the third seed after only winning three of their eight seeding games. Meanwhile, Utah slipped down to the sixth seed after also only winning three of eight seeding games.
Denver has dominated the season series versus Utah, having won all three of their matchups this season, including a 134-132 double overtime win for the Nuggets during the seeding games.
There are some great matchups heading into this series. All-Star centers Rudy Gobert and Nikola Jokic will be battling it out down in the paint. Not to mention, star guards in Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray will be matched up with one another.
If I had to predict, this will be the best first-round matchup in the Western Conference. Expect close games and a series that will go at least six games. However, the Nuggets will prevail and advance to the second round where they will most likely face the Los Angeles Clippers.
1. Nuggets Potentially Fully Healthy
Denver was one of the teams entering the Orlando bubble that didn't have its full breadth of talent. Possibly that is the reason for their lackluster performance during the eight seeding games. Nonetheless, as weeks pass Denver is getting closer to full strength.
At the moment the only two vital pieces to the Nuggets' rotation that are missing are Gary Harris and Will Barton. Both starters for Denver before the season was stopped, Denver is hoping to get them back sooner rather than later. Harris is dealing with a hip strain, while Barton is trying to return from a right knee injury.
Murray was able to return from a hamstring injury during the seeding games. In fact Murray made his bubble debut versus the Jazz. Murray didn't seemed hinder by the hamstring, as he scored 23 points along with 10 rebounds and eight assists.
With both Harris and Barton day-to-day, even if they return midway through the series it'll have a great impact. Most likely coach Mike Malone will ease them back into playing action since neither has played in real game action since March. Having two previous starters coming off the bench, Denver's bench advantage is enhanced.
2. Bench Play
As mentioned before, when it comes to bench performance the Nuggets have a clear advantage. Even without Barton and Harris in the rotation the Nuggets can go a legitimate 12 deep. Coach Malone has been giving his bench ample playing time during both the scrimmage and seeding games.
In two of three scrimmage games Troy Daniels was the leading scoring, including a 28-point performance. When Denver faced the Los Angeles Lakers in the seeding games, they played their bench for the entire fourth quarter. Instead of the Lakers pulling away in the fourth it took a Kyle Kuzma buzzer beater to win the game.
Another bench player who has emerged for the Nuggets since the NBA restart is PJ Dozier. In the eight seeding games Dozier averaged 10 points per game, which is double his career average. In addition, scoring a career-high 20 points in the final seeding game.
Nuggets rookie Bol Bol has been all over the internet since the NBA restart as began. The 7'2″ center has showed flashes of his potential moving forward. Blocking shots, shooting threes, making great passes and handling the ball in the open floor—Bol seems to be able to do it all.
With so many options off the bench compared to a Jazz bench which ranks 23rd in bench points, Denver's bench will be the key as the series advances.
3. Michael Porter Jr.
For a long time it felt like the Nuggets were doing to Michael Porter Jr. what the New Orleans Pelicans are currently doing to Zion Williamson; meaning having a potential star in the waiting play on a minutes restriction because the franchise is scared of an injury for a young player with history.
Yet, during the seeding games, Porter Jr. was given the opportunity and took full advance of it. Porter played so well he was named to the All-Bubble Second Team for seeding games. In the seven games he played, Porter Jr. averaged 22 points and nearly nine rebounds per game. He did so also by shooting an impressive 42 percent from the three-point line.
The emergence of Porter gives the Nuggets lineup two things. At 6'10”, the forward adds much needed length to the Nuggets' starting lineup—length that will be needed for a potential Western Conference Finals matchup with the No. 1 seeded Lakers.
In addition, Porter Jr. gives the Nuggets a third elite scoring option that on any given night can score 30 points. Now when Murray and Jokic are facilitating, Porter is there to prevent a scoring drop-off. It'll be interesting to see if the more experienced Joe Ingles can stop Porter from dominating in his first-ever playoff series.
Ultimately, this series will be hard fought but the Nuggets will end up winning the series versus the Jazz in six games.
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