The Denver Nuggets entered the NBA playoffs as the number-one seed in the Western Conference.
Still, it felt like no one believed them as true NBA Finals contenders.
But they went out and dominated every team they came up against.
Denver never faced elimination in the playoffs en route to their first-ever NBA Championship.
Facing the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals meant a little more among the four series they played.
Former Nugget Bruce Brown recently went on the “Run Your Race” podcast to talk about the playoff run.
Brown said that the Nuggets/Lakers series was “personal” for them.
He also mentioned how Nikola Jokic “wasn’t playing games” during that series.
Bruce Brown says Nikola Jokić “wasn’t playing games” in the Nuggets’ series against the Lakers https://t.co/sY1bRNiZtY
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 18, 2023
The Nuggets were able to sweep the Lakers and complete their dominant season against Western Conference opponents.
It seemed obvious early in the series that Nuggets coach Mike Malone did not like the publicity the Lakers were receiving.
Everyone was talking about how the Lakers could win the series but not the Nuggets.
You could tell the Nuggets felt disrespected despite being the number-one seed in the conference.
What Jokic was able to do during the playoffs solidified him as the best player in the world.
He showed everyone why he won back-to-back MVPs as he carried Denver throughout the playoffs.
His scoring prowess and passing ability are what separate him from many other centers in the NBA.
Jokic has the skills of a guard in a big man’s body.
It will be fun to see what Jokic and the Nuggets do for an encore next season.
NEXT: Bruce Brown Has Surprising Pick For Nuggets' Toughest Playoff Matchup
