Denver Nuggets: Magical postseason run may be ending, but the future is bright
The Denver Nuggets’ playoff run may be ending, but their future is bright
What the Denver Nuggets have done during the 2020 NBA postseason will go down as one of the most impressive runs in recent NBA history. Not only did the Nuggets defy the odds and make the Western Conference Finals when no one believed they could, but to come back from 3-1 series deficits twice is absolutely unbelievable.
It’s something that’s written for Hollywood studios. However, after losing Game 4 and falling into another 3-1 series deficit, this time at the hands of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, the end of the run appears on the horizon.
It’s one thing to come back from such a series deficit from Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. It was impressive to do it against Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. However, it would be absolutely insane for the Nuggets to do it against LeBron, arguably the greatest player to ever play the game of basketball, and Anthony Davis, arguably the best big in the league today.
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LeBron simply will not allow it to happen. LeBron rarely blows leads in playoff series and has never lost a series in which he’s led 2-0 or 3-1. In this series against the Nuggets, both of those have happened. It would be quite historic for the Nuggets to do this again, and this time against LeBron.
When he’s determined and engaged, there’s very little that can stop LeBron – with the only real exception being a historic Golden State Warriors team and a well-oiled San Antonio Spurs squad.
Objectively speaking, at age 35, this could be one of LeBron’s finally chances at winning another NBA Championship. In fact, you could make the real argument that this might be LeBron’s last shot at a title in which he’s going to be a favorite.
With the Warriors and Nets getting healthy, the Clippers and Bucks possibly adding to their already talented rosters, this could be LeBron’s last “good” shot at winning a championship before he has to latch to a younger superstar.
LeBron is an intelligent player and he knows this. He is not taking this playoff run lightly and the stars are lining up for him to win his fourth NBA Championship. That said, that shouldn’t take away to what the Nuggets have done over the last couple of months.
Over the course of the postseason, Jamal Murray has emerged as a superstar, the nation at-large has gotten a closer look at Nikola Jokic, and perhaps most importantly the Nuggets are no longer viewed as an afterthought.
After what they’ve done during this run, this will be a team that will be taken seriously next season. Even if they don’t improve the roster much during the offseason, the threat of Murray and Jokic, with the emergence of Michael Porter Jr., should be all you need to know about this team’s bright future.
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The Denver Nuggets’ magical playoff run is on its last legs for this season, but I can’t help but think that we’re watching the beginning of something special in Denver. I’m not sure if this team will be able to win a championship in the next five seasons, but this is a team that will certainly be in the contention conversation for potentially a very long time.