Nikola Jokić’s season has been one for the ages. The Denver Nuggets are first within the West, first in offensive effectivity, Jokić is a god in keeping with virtually each analytics metric in addition to the runaway favourite to change into the primary MVP in three consecutive seasons since Larry Bird ran the desk between 1984 and 1986. And but, it’s lonely on the high as Jokić would be the solely Nugget taking part in Sunday’s All-Star Game festivities.
In truth, among the many high seeds within the East and West, Denver is the one top-3 seed from both convention with no pair of 2023 All-Stars inside its locker room. Boston’s offense is carried by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum on its wings.
The hierarchy in Denver behind Jokić is extra summary than on most contenders. We are effectively conscious that Khris Middleton is Antetokoumpo’s No. 2 when wholesome. In the void left behind by Middleton, Jrue Holiday’s defensive plans have been organized and performed effectively sufficient to earn his first All-Star bid in a decade. James Harden to Joel Embiid is the NBA’s highest-scoring assist-to-score duo in keeping with PBP Stats. Memphis’ Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. will likely be headed to Utah. Even Sacramento despatched De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.
In truth, the one different All-Star peer of Jokić’s on Denver’s roster is DeAndre Jordan, who was anointed as a reserve waaay again in 2017. And perhaps Nuggets bench maestro Michael Malone, who’ll be theoretically “coaching.”
If Denver finishes the 82-game schedule because the No. 1 seed, they’d be the primary one within the Western Conference with out a number of All-Stars because the 2014 San Antonio Spurs received their ultimate title of the Duncan period. On a roster that boasted a 22-year-old Kawhi Leonard two years earlier than his first All-Star nod, Tim Duncan on monitor for retirement and Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker the fulcrum.
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Popovich was additionally an authentic innovator of load administration, their stars have been of their mid-30s, able to keel over from greater than a decade of playoff basketball, however have been taking part in at an All-Star degree, however in diminished minutes. In the postseason, that quartet had extra to faucet into, however not the legs to maintain it for an 82-game grind.
Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Jamal Murray’s influence
The Nuggets are comparatively younger and have by no means made a deep playoff push. Their recent legs are a bonus and but, none of their different starters have been even thought of. Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon sat on the perimeter of All-Star recognition this offseason, however the trio was discovered wanting by their friends. Each is extra of a specialist than a bonafide secondary star. This begs the query, is Denver’s All-Star energy outage a type of disrespect from the league that chooses reserves or an indication that the league believes their specialists are a mirage? And if that’s the case, are they sufficient to traverse the postseason battles that await them?
Michael Porter Jr. is a C-List star, however his presents as a pure scorer are muted on a deep roster. Porter Jr. has left behind scorched nets all season, however his one-dimensional function places him at an obstacle. Aaron Gordon is an All-Star Saturday vet, who killed a person within the dunk of the 12 months, however he’s by no means come near having the singular influence on successful an All-Star does. However, Jokić to Gordon is the fourth-most energetic passer-to-scorer duo.
Jamal Murray is an All-Star caliber menace and the Nuggets’ main ball handler and he’s assisted Jokić on extra buckets than all however 5 duos within the league, however since a gradual begin out of the gates, the 25-year-old combo guard has rediscovered his scoreboard-destroying kind because the season’s dragged on. However, the Nuggets have additionally been cautious along with his minutes and utilization in his first season back_ since tearing his ACL within the 2021 postseason. Murray sat the final six video games main as much as the All-Star Break and the Nuggets nonetheless received 4 of 6 in that span.
Murray’s finest shot of being considered an All-Star could be heading East. Even when totally wholesome, Murray is in a dropping battle with the wattage of the Western Conference’s guards. Against the likes of Ja Morant, Steph Curry, Damian Lillard, De’Aaron Fox, Steph Curry, Damian Lillard, De’Aaron Fox, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and presumably Kyrie Irving if he stays in Dallas previous this season, Murray could at all times be a tier under.
At their peaks, Porter Jr. and Murray may high out as above-average starters, which suggests these Nuggets are trying to change into essentially the most extraordinary group organized round a single constellation because the 2011 Mavericks received an NBA title with Dirk Nowitzki and uh… J.J. Barea.
Catalyzing the offense, depositing celestial passes to the wings and amplifying the expertise surrounding him has at all times been Jokić’s superpower and the supporting solid is a testomony to that. For occasion, Will Barton, Malik Beasley, and others crashed all the way down to earth after they have been knocked out of Jokić’s gravitational pull. In comparability to the new-look Suns, Grizzlies, Bucks, Cavaliers, and Celtics, although, Denver is miles behind within the distribution of star wattage.
What is Denver’s playoff kryptonite?
The factor that might come again to hang-out them is their defensive effectivity. Golden State has confirmed they’ll activate their asphyxiating protection. Memphis’ bullyball unit is second in protection, Lopez and Antetokounmpo’s penumbra provides the Bucks’ protection two stoppers, Boston’s group protection has no leaks and Embiid plugs up any holes in Philadelphia’s. It’s Denver’s middle-of-the-pack protection that might come again to hang-out them within the postseason, particularly if Murray can’t hold tempo with the upper-echelon guards within the West.
Donovan Mitchell has seemingly made a leap that Murray hasn’t. In the postseason, Denver will want Jamal Murray to mature into the constant high-scoring All-Star he flashed the potential to change into in opposition to Mitchell within the bubble to take a number of the weight off of Jokić’s shoulders. Ironically, each the aforementioned 2011 Mavericks and 2014 Spurs knocked rings off of LeBron’s hand. Jokić’s electrical energy animates the ensemble, however their different stars must shine brighter as soon as the playoff lights hit.