Why the Denver Nuggets ought to be the West Favorites
The Denver Nuggets have returned to form. They presently sit second in the Western Conference. Their play has improved, and they are once again healthy. The Broncos have won eight of their previous ten games. Jamal Murray is also back to full health. Nikola Jokic is having a fantastic season. With this club fully healthy, the rest of the league will be in trouble. So, with more than a third of the season completed, why should the Denver Nuggets be considered Western Conference favorites?
Why the Denver Nuggets Should Be West Favorites
1. Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic
When both players are healthy, this team will succeed. The dynamic pair is performing similarly to previous year. Their scoring and assist totals continue to climb as they remain healthy. Jokic remains a three-way threat in terms of scoring, assisting, and rebounding. Meanwhile, Murray is getting back into his stride. Since returning from injury, his assist and scoring totals have climbed. Furthermore, in half court sets, both of them can run the plays as the facilitator or scorer. If these two continue to lead them, the Denver Nuggets will continue to have strong games.
2. Team Continuity
This team plays together. Very rarely do the Denver Nuggets get blown out or have a horrible game. When one person struggles, the rest of the team steps up. On offense, players such as Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and others can pick up the scoring slack if the stars are struggling. In addition, even if the team isn’t shooting as great as it would like, they buckle down on defense and create stops. The team doesn’t have to run offense off one or two players. The bench unit always comes in and tries to play the same way as the first. This is a bonus. If the bench unit and secondaries play like the starters, it’s almost an unbeatable team. This team is a favorite of the West, especially if they can continue to build off of last season and this seasons early success.
3. Haven’t Lost a Step From Last Year
When Denver has all of its pieces together, they’ve shown to still be among the best. This was the case last year. They haven’t lost a step. Denver continues to have great play out of their stars. Role players are doing a good job in playing their roles. The bench unit this year is as dominant as last year’s team. Ultimately, nothing seems to have changed. Unless a drastic change happens, or an injury occurs, this team should still be the favorites of the West. While Minnesota and Oklahoma City has risen in this early portion of the season, they don’t boast two superstar talents. This combined with their inexperience in the postseason could hurt them more.
The Last Word
Denver’s team is hitting its stride. Their dynamic duo of Murray and Jokic is one of the best among the league. The supporting cast continues to play well. Furthermore, they’re carrying the momentum from last year. These reasons, combined with postseason experience, shows why the Denver Nuggets should be the favorites of the West.
Leave a Reply