As much as some continue to sleep on them, the Denver Nuggets are for real this time.
Nikola Jokic is on the verge of winning his third consecutive MVP, averaging a triple-double and cementing himself as one of the most spectacular players to ever lace them up.
He’s finally got a solid supporting cast around him as well, with Aaron Gordon playing the best basketball of his career and Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. finally healthy and stepping up.
But more than that, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst believes that their biggest strength this season even isn’t their home-court advantage but their ability to dominate in the clutch.
The Nuggets dominated clutch time last night in another win, verifying their status as NBA’s best clutch team. Can they buck the trend of that edge disappearing in the playoffs?
Plus Bridges’ leap, Middleton’s bench role & Grizzlies big loss: https://t.co/uqITmos57S
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) March 7, 2023
The Nuggets have clamped their rivals defensively when the game has been on the line, and their offensive execution has been excellent as well.
Some people continue to wonder whether Jokic is the best player in the league or if he should be deserving of this third MVP award.
That’s a bit of a surprise, given how dominant he’s been and how much he’s stepped up to stop being a defensive liability.
The Nuggets run most of their offense in the high post, and rival teams can’t seem to figure out how to stop them.
Jokic is a triple threat every time he gets the ball, as he can drive, pop, or just hit the open man with his nearly-unmatched playmaking ability.
So, even though the Nuggets might still need to silence their critics after years of playoff shortcomings, they’re playing like the team to beat right now.
NEXT: Nuggets Head Coach Discusses Nikola Jokic Criticism
