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The Denver Nuggets must be confident in what they've accomplished in the first half of the season as they enter the second half of the season following the All-Star break.
The Nuggets are 33-25 and the Western Conference's sixth seed despite missing Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr for most of the season. Jamal Murray has yet to play in a game this season, and Michael Porter Jr has been sidelined due to an injury suffered early in the season.
Both of these players are expected to return to the Nuggets in the near future, which will definitely help them win an NBA title alongside Nikola Jokic, arguably the league's best player.
Despite injuries to their second and third best players, Nikola Jokic's stellar play in every aspect of the game has kept Denver in contention. While playing the best defense of his career, he's averaging 26 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game.
Denver should be optimistic about their playoff chances if they can get back to full strength. However, even if Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr return, the Denver Nuggets will still have to play their best basketball to be the team they want to be, and even if those players return stronger than they were previous to their injuries, winning in the Western Conference won't be easy.
Given how well the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns have looked in the Western Conference this season, it nearly appears unthinkable that any other two teams will meet in the Western Conference Finals. Obviously, if Denver and a few other teams are playing their best basketball, both of those teams might be eliminated if they don't play the sort of basketball that we've come to expect from them.
Denver will need to stay healthy, and they will need numerous players to step up and do the job for them if they want to win in this year's playoffs.
Let's take a look at a couple of Western Conference playoff teams who might pose a threat to the Nuggets.
Winning an NBA title is never easy. As we have seen with the past 20 champions, every team is going to need something significant to go their way. Whether that is an unfortunate injury to someone, or having guys on the roster step up more than they ever have. There is a reason why winning a championship is so hard, and a reason why we have seen crazy upsets in the past. If a team is going to win a title, they’re going to need everyone on their roster to be playing the best basketball they possibly can, and even sometimes that isn’t enough to get the job done. Matchups are always something that is going to play a major factor, and some teams just know how to get the job done against certain teams when it matters most.
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The Biggest Threats To The Nuggets In The Playoffs, Ranked
2. Suns
As previously said, the Phoenix Suns have not just been the best team in the Western Conference, but the best team in the whole NBA this season. They've been dominant on both ends of the court, and Chris Paul and Devin Booker have essentially taken over for the Suns, putting them in a position to win another championship.
Fortunately for Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns, as well as NBA fans in general, his injury does not appear to be serious. Obviously, it has the potential to keep him out for eight weeks, but it is only a hand injury, and unless he still has discomfort in that hand when he returns, he should be able to resume his normal activities. If he doesn't, though, this is where Denver must seize the opportunity and find a way to defeat a team as good as the Phoenix Suns.
1. Clippers(if healthy)
There's no disputing that if the Los Angeles Clippers stay healthy next season, they'll be a favorite to win the NBA title. Not only do they have two superstars in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, but they also have multiple guys who can score and defend at a high level across their team. Half of their role players are Elite 3 and D type players, and when you surround such guys with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, you're typically going to have success.
The Clippers are in a similar situation to the Nuggets, albeit it's still unclear whether Paul George and Kawhi Leonard will return this season. However, because they are both struggling with injuries to two of their best players, they can be looked at similarly. It will be a fantastic series if Denver and Los Angeles were both healthy.
