As the Mile High City eagerly awaits the tip-off of the 2023-24 NBA season, the Denver Nuggets find themselves at a pivotal point in their franchise history. Fresh off earning their franchise-first NBA Championship, Nikola Jokic and co. are still hungry for more. Are they poised to repeat as champions? Is this the start of a potential dynasty? Let's discuss some bold Nuggets 2023-24 predictions.

Nikola Jokic earns his 3rd league MVP award

Nikola Jokic was perfectly poised to earn the league MVP award for the third consecutive year last season, but it ended up being awarded to Joel Embiid. This wasn't too big of a loss for Jokic however. He ended up being named the Finals MVP as well as earned a championship ring, something Embiid has yet to do.

Jokic is the heartbeat of the Nuggets, and he is projected to have another sensational season in 2023-24. Jokic's unique blend of basketball IQ, sublime passing, and scoring is expected to continue mesmerizing the league and fans alike. He truly is an unstoppable force, so expect him to be voted to another All-Star game as well as always be in the conversation for MVP.

The Nuggets finish atop the Western Conference

The Nuggets finished the 2022-23 season with an impressive 53-29 record, the best record in the Western Conference.

The Western Conference is no cakewalk though, as the Nuggets had to get through the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Phoenix Suns, and the Los Angeles Lakers en route to their championship. Those teams will no doubt be looking for revenge this season, and many other teams will look to knock off the defending champions.

The Nuggets' starting five are returning, and their chemistry will no doubt help them win many important conference games.

Rookie Julian Strawther becomes a key off-the-bench player

Keep your eyes peeled, Nuggets fans. Rookie Julian Strawther is about to turn some heads in the regular season.

Strawther had an impressive preseason. In two of his four preseason games, Strawther scored 20-plus points. During the preseason, he shot 51 percent from the field as well as 45 percent from 3-point range. He also averaged a solid 17.8 points per game.

Should Strawther take full advantage of his opportunities in the regular season, he could easily find his way into the Nuggets rotation. Based on what was seen during the preseason, there is a good chance this actually comes to fruition.

Jamal Murray gets named to his first NBA All-Star Game

Honestly, it's a bit shocking Jamal Murray hasn't been named as an All-Star yet. Given his electric performance in the 2020 NBA “Bubble” Playoffs, you'd think Murray would have become more of a household name.

Murray tore his ACL in 2021, and that potentially altered his ascension to All-Star status. But have no fear, Murray is fully healthy and fresh off great playoff performances that helped the Nuggets win a championship.

When Murray gets hot, he gets blazing hot. He's no stranger to coming in clutch as well. Should Murray have a fast start to the season, it's likely the Nuggets will see serious success as well. “The Year of Jamal Murray” is going to continue into the upcoming season and beyond.

While Murray and the Nuggets are focused on repeating as champions, there is the underlying topic of Murray's future with the team. Murray is due a large contract extension, and a dominant season from him will cement that. Should the Nuggets sign Murray to an extension, that means the Nuggets have locked down a solid core of players that will significantly help their long-term success.