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When thinking about this season’s Denver Nuggets there are two questions which stand out; The first is whether this Nuggets team is the best assembled in franchise history. The second is whether this is a team that can do any damage in the post-season.
Before any attempts at answering those questions can begin a quick snapshot of Denver’s season is necessary.
If pressed I would opt for the narrative which saw Denver begin with a horrendous early season schedule where 22 of their first 32 games were on the road.
At the end of that run the Nuggets emerged two games above .500 which really was an enormous achievement even if the NBA’s attention had moved elsewhere.
As Denver’s schedule became friendlier their record surged to a point they’re now 23 games above .500 having won their past 11 games.
They boast the league’s third most potent offense predicated on a high-paced, penetrative philosophy which has also created a seemingly ideal situation for the likes of Danilo Gallinari and of late Wilson Chandler on the perimeter.
Most importantly Denver’s surge has seen them move to within a half game of claiming the West’s third seed which could prove crucial for the Nuggets as nabbing such a seed could see them take advantage of their incredible home court advantage, where they are a staggering 30-3.
Since joining the NBA in the mid 70s the Nuggets have never had a team which has scaled the heights they’re now experiencing.
Granted there was a run in the 2008-09 season where Denver took the Lakers to six games in the Western Conference Finals.
Yet there was a sense something was not quite right with that squad owing to the imminent departure of star player Carmelo Anthony in addition to a defence which not even the most ardent Nugget fan would have considered Finals worthy.
Which brings us back to this Denver team and whether it constitutes the best yet in Mile High history.
I believe the answer to that questions lies in the relative quality of Denver’s defence this season which ranks as the best coach George Karl has had in his almost nine seasons in Denver.
During Denver’s 11-game streak they’ve held opponents under 100 on seven occasions, while they boast an overall 28-3 record when they hold opponents under that mark. They’re 17-19 when they don’t.
To return to the initial question of whether the Nuggets can cause any damage this season revolves deeply around how the Nuggets do negotiate their final 15 games and also a lot to do with how Memphis fares over the same span.
If they can finish above the Grizzlies they can grab home court advantage for at least the first round while that third seed remains alive so long as the Clippers continue their mediocre form.
A factor which might prove crucial is that Denver holds tie breaker advantages over both Memphis and the Clippers this season.
Denver has made the playoffs in each of the past nine seasons. They’ve been bundled out straight away on eight of those occasions. A similar fate this season would be a major disappointment considering the strength of their campaign thus far.
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