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Nikola Jokic just wrapped up another solid season and recently led the Denver Nuggets, beating the Los Angeles Clippers in a grueling seven-game series to advance past the first round. With little time to rest, Denver will be forced to tackle a formidable opponent: the Oklahoma City Thunder, the best team in the Western Conference.
The collision course will feature the finalists of the MVP race and two Western Conference heavyweights with legitimate shots at winning it all. For this piece, let's take a look at three Denver Nuggets bold predictions for the Thunder series in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
The Denver Nuggets will go as far as Nikola Jokic takes them
Faced against the top team in the Western Conference, the third-seeded Nuggets drew a tough opponent in the second round after going through a grueling seven-game series. However, it's safe to say that the Thunder doesn't have a single big man who can ultimately shut down Nikola Jokic one-on-one.
The three-time NBA MVP, who's gunning for his fourth this season, is easily a matchup nightmare. His size and all-around prowess have catapulted him to elite levels, cementing himself as one of the greatest centers in league history. In fact, under Jokic's leadership, the Nuggets were successful in winning the franchise's first championship.
Given that having Jokic as the focal point is already a proven formula, it's a safe bet that the Nuggets will once again lean on him in their tough second-round matchup against the Thunder. In the first round, the Joker had a dominant series, averaging 24.0 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 10.1 assists per outing to propel his team past the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games.
With Jokic's rising dominance, any Denver fan will expect the same output from him. During the regular season against Oklahoma, he registered similar numbers by putting up 24.5 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 11.5 assists per game. The series ended up with a 2-2 stalemate, with the Nuggets getting the last laugh with a 140-127 victory back in March.
Although the Thunder will have plenty of depth to slow down the Nuggets, for as long as Jokic is playing at an elite level, the Mile High squad will always have a chance at beating out the best teams in the league. It's going to require another herculean effort for Jokic to win this series, but you can always count on him to bring his A-game on a nightly basis even in the playoffs.
Russell Westbrook will be the Denver Nuggets' X-factor
If there's a takeaway from the Nuggets' first-round clash against the Clippers, the biggest has to be the importance of Russell Westbrook. Westbrook had a solid series against his former team, averaging 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per outing. He was specifically outstanding in the series clincher, tallying 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists on 5-of-9 shooting from the field in just 27 minutes of action. Westbrook became the first player in league history to accomplish those numbers in less than 30 minutes of play off the bench. As a result, the Nuggets will hope to lean on his emergence as they face the Thunder.
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It's worth noting that the former NBA MVP will once again face his past, as they deal with the very team that drafted him back in 2008 in the first round with the fourth overall pick. With the familiarity, Westbrook will have plenty of motivation to compete at a high level as he returns to Oklahoma, the very city where he transformed into an NBA MVP.
Should Westbrook successfully turn back the clock once more in the second round, Denver should be in a favorable position to pull the rug out from under Oklahoma. Although the record holder for most triple-doubles is far from a perfect player, once Westbrook gets in his groove in an efficient manner, the Nuggets just become unpredictably hard to stop.
Christian Braun will slow down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Perimeter defense will be something that the Thunder will try to exploit out of the Nuggets. However, if there's a player who can mitigate that, it would be Christian Braun. Defense has been the calling card of Braun, and he's the best player to defend an elite guard like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
During the seven-game series, Braun's defensive assignment was none other than former NBA MVP James Harden. Once the dust settled, his defense certainly played a major role, giving the former MVP a rough series. In fact, with Braun as Harden's main defender, the Clippers star could only muster seven points on 2-of-8 shooting in Game 7 to help the Nuggets close out the series.
Against Oklahoma, Denver will once again count on Braun to slow down another MVP-caliber player in SGA. In the past, the Nuggets guard admitted to the difficulties of trying to contain the Thunder star. Nonetheless, Braun isn't showing any signs of backing down from the challenge, as he gets at least four chances to put down the clamps on SGA.
While shutting down SGA will be a daunting task, slowing him down might be more doable. If Braun can make life harder for SGA, as the focal point of the Thunder, the Nuggets have a solid shot at pulling off some surprises.
