Don’t look now, but the Denver Nuggets might be the best team in the NBA right now.
Led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, Mike Malone’s team continues to find ways to win basketball games.
And for the first time in years, they’re actually making a statement against winning teams instead of just making the most of their homecourt advantage or beating subpar teams.
That’s why NBA.com’s John Schumann believes the Nuggets are worthy of the first spot in the league’s latest Power Rankings:
The first power rankings of the new year 👀
Week 12 Power Rankings ➡️ https://t.co/rOI8ve6D1e pic.twitter.com/U61PepNhER
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 2, 2023
“The Nuggets went 6-1 on a stretch where they played seven straight games against teams that currently have winning records, and the one loss (Wednesday in Sacramento) came by a single point,” Schumann wrote. “The Nuggets’ schedule remains home-heavy for the next three weeks, but it doesn’t get much easier in regard to opponent strength. After their game in Minnesota on Monday (their first meeting with the Wolves), they’ll play 11 of 15 against teams currently over .500, a stretch that includes two games each against the Clippers and Pelicans.”
Jokic is in line to win his third consecutive MVP award, joining Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird as the only four players to pull that incredible feature off.
Of course, the second half of the season will be key for that narrative and for the Nuggets’ playoff seeding, so it’s not the time to take their foot off the gas.
Fortunately for them, Michael Porter Jr. is finally healthy and could provide a much-needed offensive boost after missing a key stretch of the early season.
