Heading into the 2023 NBA Playoffs, we explore nine bold but completely reasonable predictions.
The NBA Play-In Tournament will come to a conclusion Friday and the official start of the NBA Playoffs is set to begin Saturday, April 15. The seeding is nearly set (the 8th seeds in both conferences will be decided Friday) and the hype and excitement surrounding the start of the playoffs are beginning to rise.
The storylines heading into the first round are just the start. Will there be upsets? If so, how many will actually come to fruition? Does LeBron James have one more deep playoff run in him? Will Kevin Durant be able to fuel the Phoenix Suns to that elusive NBA championship? Can Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks climb back to the NBA mountaintop? Will this finally be the year where the Boston Celtics win the championship?
Heading into the start of the NBA Playoffs, we make 9 bold but completely reasonable predictions.
The Denver Nuggets will have a disappointing postseason showing
My first prediction is admittedly a bit of a downer, but I have this feeling that the Denver Nuggets will have a disappointing playoff showing. They may not have much trouble in their first-round playoff series whether it’s against the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Oklahoma City Thunder, but I have the Nuggets losing in the conference semifinals at the hands of the Phoenix Suns or LA Clippers.
And considering where the Nuggets are at their build and under the assumption that it’s difficult to envision how this team is going to take another significant step forward next season, this has to be the year for the Nuggets to break through in the Western Conference.
If not this year, then will it ever happen for the Nuggets? I wouldn’t say that the Nuggets are under much pressure but at the same time, they kind of are.