With the Denver Nuggets ultimate preseason recreation this night towards the Golden State Warriors in any case afoot, the season is formally underneath per week away. The Nuggets will open the season subsequent week in Utah on Wednesday evening towards the Jazz wherein they hope to set the tone for what will have to be a gorgeous thrilling season.
With the additions Denver made this offseason along side Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. in any case being wholesome as soon as once more, the expectancies for this staff are as top as they have got ever been. With that being mentioned, let’s check out a few of the best and worst case scenarios for the Nuggets going into the season.
What’s the ‘Best Case’ state of affairs for Denver this season?
The best case will and all the time has been finishing the yr as NBA champions. Denver has been on the upward thrust ever since going to the Western Conference Finals in 2020 and with a completely wholesome roster as soon as once more there’s no telling how a ways this staff can pass. Through 4 preseason video games, the Nuggets have proven now not most effective to have an electrical beginning 5, however a gorgeous deep 2nd unit as neatly.
Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are in any case again wholesome and in a position to give a contribution, whilst the additions of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, and even Ish Smith have confirmed to be attainable upgrades to what the Nuggets had final season. As lengthy as the Nuggets can keep wholesome, it in point of fact looks like this season is championship or bust.
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Photo via Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
What’s the ‘Worst Case’ state of affairs for the Nuggets this season?
On the turn aspect of the first query, the worst case state of affairs must be now not achieving the NBA Finals. Some other people is also content material with any other Western Conference Finals look, however I in point of fact really feel like this Nuggets staff is excellent sufficient to have that championship or bust mentality. With back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic working the display this staff will have to now not settle for anything else lower than a championship.
What’s the ‘Most Likely’ state of affairs for Denver this season?
I believe the possibly state of affairs is a top-3 seed and any other playoff berth for the Nuggets. Once they get to the playoffs we can see what occurs, but when they are totally wholesome there’s no doubt they have got one in all the best rosters in the whole NBA. The hope is the Nuggets are enjoying their best basketball towards the finish of the season and they use that to energise a push for their first championship in franchise historical past.
What are you maximum excited for going into this season?
I’m maximum excited to peer how the Nuggets beginning unit meshes as a result of they have got the attainable to be the best beginning 5 in the NBA. The addition of Caldwell-Pope goes to lend a hand the beginning 5 out such a lot now not simply from a defensive point of view, however his talent to shoot from past the arc can be a large improve along Jokic, Murray, Porter, and Aaron Gordon.
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Photo via Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Predict the Nuggets win/loss file for the season.
I believe the Nuggets will end with a file of 57-25 and a top-3 seed in the Western Conference.
Predict Denver’s convention seeding.
Second seed in the Western Conference.
Roster Additions
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, Ish Smith, Christian Braun, Jack White, DeAndre Jordan, Collin Gillespie, Peyton Watson
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Photo via Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Roster Losses
Monte Morris, Will Barton, Facu Campazzo, JaMychal Green, Markus Howard, DeMarcus Cousins, Austin Rivers, Bryn Forbes
Last season’s staff file
48-34
Last season’s convention score
Fourth seed in the Western Conference
Last season’s offensive and defensive ranking (Please use Basketball-Ref unadjusted rankings for consistency https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2022_ratings.html)
Offensive ranking: 115.21 (7th in the NBA)
Defensive ranking: 112.88 (fifteenth in the NBA)