Golden State Warriors: Ranking the top five Western Conference postseason threats
Denver Nuggets
For part of the early season, the Denver Nuggets were the West’s top team by record. The only problem with Denver, in my eyes, is their playmaking.
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Nikola Jokic has been an animal this season; there’s no denying that. What we haven’t seen from Jokic is an ability to take over games, especially late in games. It’s different to deny any team with a legitimate MVP threat a chance in the postseason.
Denver, for the most part, is also inexperienced when it comes to postseason play. As we saw in their heartbreaking loss in a winner-makes-the-playoffs game last season, Denver can’t be trusted to thrive down the stretch offensively.
With a young core, the Nuggets, who haven’t make the playoffs since the 2012-2013 season, need to figure out if Nikola Jokic can be their man down the stretch. However, the Nuggets depth and skill at each position makes them a tough opponent for any team.
The Warriors most likely wouldn’t see the Nuggets till either the second round of the playoffs or the Western Conference Finals. Either way, the Nuggets have to prove they’re the real deal before playing Golden State.