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After winning the championship last season, the Denver Nuggets are on track to repeat as champs once again. Nikola Jokic will likely be the runaway winner for MVP, while the rest of the first unit remains a potent and unstoppable five-man crew. If they are all healthy, it seems like there will be no formidable opponent who can upset Denver in a seven-game series.
If Jamal Murray starts feeling some lingering pain in his recurring injuries or Michael Porter Jr. misses a couple of outings in a series, then that is the time that a powerhouse opponent can cause chaos. The talent is obvious for this organization, but it is more of their cohesiveness and selflessness that makes them the favorite to carry the Larry O'Brien trophy in June.
Even if it may seem insurmountable to beat them, anything can happen in the NBA. For the chances to dwindle for the Nuggets to dominate the postseason, this particular seeding scenario must occur for this year.
Phoenix drops to eighth and meets Denver in Round 1
The power and force that Denver will bring starting Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs will be tough to match for any franchise. For the Phoenix Suns, they currently have a 2-1 record against Denver this season, so there can be some optimism for their fanbase. Yes, Phoenix did lose to Denver in six games last year, but they were the only squad that extended it to at least six games.
A herculean effort from both Kevin Durant and Devin Booker will be necessary for at least a couple of contests if they have aspirations of beating the Nuggets in a seven-game tilt. The scoring prowess of Durant and Booker can cause some problems for Denver, especially because they do not rely on the three-point shot to win them some ball games.
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There are some nights when this elite duo is unguardable, then possibly squeaking a couple of more victories may be the recipe to causing an upset. The Nuggets will still be the heavy favorites against the Suns, but their confidence and momentum from winning the season series is the best case scenario for any team hoping to beat the defending champions.
OKC advances to Round 2 and faces Denver in West Semis
With Denver likely advancing to the next round after beating Phoenix in this hypothetical scenario, the likeliest organization that can cause issues for their squad is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite the inexperience in playing under the brightest lights, their relentlessness and versatility are the key ingredients in giving them a legitimate shot of breaking through against the Nuggets.
There were instances in their regular season matchups when Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault would put a smaller Luguentz Dort or Jalen Williams on Jokic because he wanted Chet Holmgren to be on the help side of their defensive schemes. It is inevitable for Daigneault to be courageous in drawing up a plethora of unusual strategies that could catch Denver off guard.
The ability of Holmgren to be a spectacular threat from outside and attacking the rim with reckless abandon causes Jokic to be more active on the defensive end. Additionally, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been stellar in the Thunder's matchups against the Nuggets this year, so he will continue being a headache in a hypothetical playoff series.
With the Thunder's three victories in four outings against the Nuggets, the youthful squad led by Daigneault and Gilgeous-Alexander will be a difficult bunch to send home.
