The NBA season has finally resumed and we are on the verge of the playoffs. In the playoffs there is a whole new game of basketball. When the playoffs hit every team is radically different and a myriad of new factors come into play. Lineups and rotations are adjusted and look completely different from the regular season and star players shift to a new gear. Last year this proved to be a huge problem for the Denver Nuggets. After dominating in the regular season they managed to sneak past a shallow Spurs roster, but they could not keep up with the star power of the Trailblazers. Once again, the Nuggets have proved themselves as a great regular season team, but question remains as to how they will perform in the playoffs.
When looking over the competition in the Western conference, the Nuggets appear to be in good standing. The Nuggets roster has profound depth that only a few teams such as the Clippers can match. Unfortunately this depth does not provide the same edge in the playoffs, when star players are much less restricted and can play significantly more minutes. For instance, in the playoffs LeBron averages around 42 minutes per game throughout his career. This allows him and players alike to simply take over a game. There doesn't seem to be a player like this with the ability to consistently take over a game on the Nuggets roster. Nikola Jokic has proved himself as a star in the NBA and arguably the best center in the league, and in the years to come he could become a transcending playoff talent. For the Nuggets to compete with teams such as the Clippers, Lakers, and even Rockets a player will have to rise to the occasion. The biggest question is who will this be?
The Nuggets roster is loaded with young talent from top to bottom. Although Jokic did not perform as well as Nuggets fans had hoped last year, he is still a star. Personally, I believe the one thing the Nuggets need to win a title is one more superstar with he ability to take over a game. Jamal Murray has shown many sparks, including his 34 point performances in games 3 and 4 against the Trailblazers. In my opinion, the Nuggets key to success lies with two specific players: Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol. Although we haven't seen much action from either of them, there has been glimpses of stardom in both of them. Both of them seem to be built for stardom in the NBA. They are lengthy players who can stretch the floor and can score at will.
Therefore, I believe that the Nuggets key to success is a change in the rotation, and giving a chance to MPJ and Bol Bol. If one of these players can flip the switch in the playoffs and put up significant points along with Jokic, we can get an edge against teams such as the Lakers and Clippers and compete with superstars such as LeBron and Kawhi.
Although I don't think that the depth within the Nuggets roster will be able to secure them the Larry O'Brien trophy, I believe that the roster is deeper than ever with new additions that may give us a boost compared to last year. Noah Vonleh provides a strong, bully presence in the paint. Troy Daniels has proved that he can put up significant points off the bench, especially beyond the arc. Even Tyler Cook has showed promise in scrimmages. All things considered, I believe that if one or two players can step up and provide a consistent spark for this team when it is needed most the Nuggets are certainly contenders.
As Nuggets fans we must not lose faith if this incredibly talented roster doesn't bring us a championship. This roster is incredibly young and we still have time to get a ring and develop our players. Do you think that the Nuggets are contenders this year? Who do you think can provide us the competitive edge over other star studded teams?
