The offseason was a treat to NBA fans as they saw their favorite teams beef up their roster to bolster their title hopes. Teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, and Miami Heat among others had some key additions. These teams were the talk of the town as fans started to fantasize about all sorts of winning scenarios. The Denver Nuggets, however, were not a part of these conversations.
It's a puzzling occurrence. The Nuggets have been one of the best teams in the Western Conference for the past three seasons but they get this sort of treatment. But there are three reasons why Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are being massively slept on for the title this season.
“Stacked” Storylines
It's safe to assume that teams that qualified in last year's NBA Playoffs, including the Nuggets, will maintain their stature (if not improve on it) in the 2021-22 NBA season. In the Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns will be carrying all the momentum from last year's stellar performance. The Lakers, who massively overhauled their roster, will once again be favorites to win the crown. There are doubts whether their new lineup filled with old men will work, but fans and analysts should know by now that it's foolish to doubt a team's chances especially if the squad has LeBron James. Of course, there's also the Golden State Warriors with the returning Klay Thompson.
With regards to the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks will remain a threat to the title. The Nets, with the key additions of Patty Mills and Paul Millsap, have boosted their chances once again. Teams like the Heat, Atlanta Hawks, and New York Knicks, are also expected to compete. The Bulls, who loaded their roster with Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, and Alex Caruso, are now tagged as a serious up-and-coming squad.
These different storylines might have overshadowed the Nuggets, who only have veteran forward Jeff Green as their major addition. Their lack of offseason activity isn't necessarily a failure on the part of the front office. The roster is already pretty stacked with the presence of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and the ever-improving Michael Porter Jr. But this is the way the NBA operates at times. Teams who have a history of winning or who have “generational talent” seem to get more exposure than the others.
Health
The Nuggets' campaign last season was slightly derailed due to the injuries of Murray and Will Barton. Barton was able to return and play four games in the NBA Playoffs. Murray, who went down with an ACL tear in April, missed the entire postseason. Barton has since recovered from his hamstring injury but there will still be concerns moving forward. After all, he will be tasked to do more than his usual given Murray's absence.
Similar concerns will be placed on Murray, but on a deeper level. Back then, ACL tears were the kiss of death to one's career. But athletes nowadays have done a good job in returning to tip-top shape after gruesome injuries. As such, the concern lies more on the time Murray is set to miss. So much so that there are some doubters on the Nuggets' chances to even qualify for the postseason. But the reality is, the Nuggets will still make it even without Murray. The bigger question is how will his long absence and sudden presence affect the overall dynamic of the team?
This seems like a trivial concern especially since Murray has long been part of Mike Malone's system. So it's safe to assume that the squad will adjust easily once he returns. This shouldn't mean that we should completely disregard the possibility of a bit of disarray in the team's chemistry once the rotation is tweaked.
Last Season's Poor Playoff Run
The Nuggets were booted out in four games by the Suns in the Western Conference Semifinals. We can say that the Suns entered the series with a slight advantage given that the Nuggets were shorthanded. But the Nuggets still had the league MVP in the fray. Not only that, but they also had other key pieces like Barton, Monte Morris, and PJ Dozier. Let's not forget about Porter too who rapidly improved last season.
It was inevitable that the Nuggets would lose. But shouldn't they have taken at least a game or two from the Suns? Not only do they have the tools, but they were a much more experienced postseason squad as well.
Perhaps this is what's on the mind of fans and critics alike. The Nuggets' poor run in last year's NBA Playoffs might have dampened their hopes. Momentum plays a key part in everything, most especially in sports.
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