Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone doesn't seem surprised one bit that his team has a 3-0 series lead over the Los Angeles Lakers. After years of coming up short in the Western Conference playoffs, Malone knows the Nuggets have what it takes to win a championship.

The Nuggets are in the playoffs for a fifth straight season. Michael Malone and Denver made their deepest run in the NBA bubble, losing against the Lakers in five games during the 2020 Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets came back from a pair of 3-1 series deficits in order to face the Lakers in their first conference finals matchup.

Injuries ultimately prevented the Nuggets from being a championship contender in 2021 and 2022. Jamal Murray missed both playoff runs because of a torn ACL. Michael Porter Jr. missed last year's postseason with an injury. Nikola Jokic finally has enough help, and the Nuggets' Game 3 win over the Lakers put Denver on the doorstep of reaching the 2023 NBA Finals.

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“This team is playoff tested,” Malone told reporters after Game 3 against the Lakers.

“To come back from 3-1 deficits, to win multiple Game 7s,” Malone continued. “To have Jamal Murray healthy with Michael Porter healthy with a great crew around Nikola. Bruce Brown has been unbelievable for us. That guy, what a great pickup. Give (GM) Calvin Booth a ton of credit. The trade for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in this offseason. Getting Aaron Gordon a few years ago. This group is capable of doing great things, and they believe. They believe right now, and belief is a very powerful thing.”

The Nuggets can eliminate the Lakers in Game 4 Monday and make the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.