9. Denver Nuggets
Much as was the case during the regular season, the Denver Nuggets have been somewhat overlooked in the Western Conference. Entering Saturday’s action, though, the Nuggets had a top 3 offense in the restart. What was holding them back, however, was their worst-ranked defense. It should also be noted that the Nuggets have been without Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, and Will Barton.
The hope is that the Nuggets will be even better once they’re back at full strength, but there’s no guarantee heading into the playoffs. Plus, each of those players will have to get back into playing rhythm and that’s certainly not something you want to be doing during a playoff series.
It’ll be interesting to see how far the Nuggets could advance in the playoffs, and how far they could push a team like the LA Clippers in a potential second-round matchup. Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned the outstanding play of Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol.
The Nuggets are arguably one of the most interesting teams to watch in the West playoff bracket.