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Despite missing two of their stars, the Denver Nuggets still find themselves in the heat of the playoff race. Nikola Jokic has done a masterful job in keeping the Nuggets afloat despite missing Jamal Murray the entire campaign and Michael Porter Jr. for all but nine games.
The Nuggets currently sit at 6th in the Western Conference with a 36-25 record. With 21 games remaining on the schedule and a 3.5-game advantage over the Los Angeles Clippers, they should already be locks for an outright playoff berth. Getting home court edge in the first round likely won't happen. But with the prospect of Murray and Porter returning to help out Jokic, they will definitely be a team to watch out for in the postseason.
With that said, here are three bold predictions for the Denver Nuggets for the rest of the 2021-22 NBA season.
3 bold Nuggets predictions
1. Nikola Jokic will win his second straight MVP
The 2021-22 season MVP trophy is still very much up for grabs. Over the last five weeks, the top three spots in the NBA's Kia MVP Ladder have rotated around Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jokic still sits at no. 1 in the latest edition.
On the season, the reigning NBA MVP is averaging 25.5 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists while shooting 56.7 percent from the field.
If Jokic is somehow able to lead Denver to a 50-win campaign, without Murray and Porter for majority of the season, he should bag his second straight Maurice Podoloff trophy.
2. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. will play like they never left upon their return
Both Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have been sidelined for a lengthy period, placing the heavy offensive burden on Nikola Jokic's broad shoulders. Murray has been out since suffering a torn ACL near the end of the 2020-21 regular season and hasn't appeared on an NBA court in nearly 11 months. Meanwhile, Porter hasn't played since November 6th of last year and underwent back surgery in early December.
While there was plenty of uncertainty regarding their return status this season, there is optimism that the two may be back in time for a potential Nuggets playoff push this year. Porter , specifically, has reportedly been cleared for contact and is looking at a return in mid to late March.
As special as Jokic is, he simply won't be able to carry the Nuggets to a championship alone. He'll need both Murray and Porter to give Denver its first NBA title in franchise history. And the prediction is that they will be back playing like their former selves by the time the postseason arrives.
3. The Nuggets will make the NBA Finals
With Jokic playing even better than his 2020-21 MVP season, the Nuggets will always have a fighting chance to make a deep run in the postseason. Many assumed this would be a throw away campaign for Denver considering the projection that Murray could be out the entire season. After Porter back flared up again and he underwent surgery, people counted out the Nuggets for good.
But Jokic has kept them afloat and now with the news that Murray and Porter could be back soon, there is a legitimate chance that Denver could vie for a title as soon as this season. As long as the Serbian superstar continues his elite level of play and the Nuggets get at least 80 percent of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., it wouldn't be shocking Denver somehow makes the NBA Finals this year.
