Nikola Jokic is the very best basketball participant on the planet, however the Denver Nuggets have been bleeding expertise round him ever since he led the franchise to its first ever championship in 2023. The Nuggets that opened the 2024-25 season on Thursday evening seemed nothing just like the crew that raised a banner solely 15 months in the past. Key contributors have left for different groups (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown, Jeff Inexperienced), and their replacements are both too younger or too previous to make a significant distinction. In the meantime, Jamal Murray hasn’t seemed like himself since Feb. even earlier than he begins a brand new $208 million extension.
The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder are the brand new favorites within the Western Convention, taking up a spot Denver held at the moment final yr. OKC left little doubt who runs the West lately by blasting the Nuggets, 102-87, in Thursday’s season opener. The Nuggets have a laundry record of issues, and already really feel like they’re on the draw back of ought to have been a protracted championship window with Jokic nonetheless solely 29 years previous.
Jokic talked concerning the crew’s points after the loss, and no lies had been instructed:
The Nuggets ranked lifeless final within the NBA in three-point makes an attempt final season, at the same time as they received 57 video games. Their huge transfer this offseason was letting go of one in every of their finest shooters in Caldwell-Pope, whereas signing arguably the worst taking pictures within the league in Russell Westbrook.
Denver shot 7-of-38 from three (18.4 %) within the loss to the Thunder. The truth that OKC shot the ball horribly too (22 % from three) and nonetheless received in a rout is dangerous, dangerous signal for the Nuggets. Throughout a time when contenders are ratcheting up their three-point quantity to unexpected ranges, the Nuggets have only a few shooters who’re even assured sufficient get pictures up.
A yr in the past, the Nuggets had the very best beginning lineup in basketball. That doesn’t really feel just like the case anymore with Christian Braun in for KCP. The largest subject for the Nuggets is the dwindling play of Murray. He hasn’t seemed like himself since getting back from a knee harm after the All-Star break final yr. He was horrible within the 2024 NBA Playoffs and within the 2024 Paris Olympics, and he couldn’t even generate a paint contact successfully in opposition to OKC on this season’s opener. Murray completed 4-of-13 from the sector for 12 factors within the loss.
Murray remains to be solely 27 years previous, and shouldn’t be cooked but. On the similar time, if he can’t regain his kind as a correct No. 2 possibility on a title contender, the Nuggets actually don’t have any probability as a result of their depth is horrible. Denver may need the worst bench within the league of any non-tanking crew. Prime govt Calvin Sales space needs his younger draft picks to play, however thus far Braun, Peyton Watson, Julian Strawther, and firm haven’t confirmed they’ll deal with excessive leverage minutes for a contender. Signing Westbrook and Dario Saric isn’t going to assist, both.
Staff-building round Jokic must be straightforward. Get him a crew of shooters and defenders, with one shot-creating guard, and also you’re good. Someway, the Nuggets have capped themselves out with no shooters and no different All-Star gamers on the roster. Jokic is the one top-15 participant in NBA historical past to by no means play with an All-Star.
Jokic deserves to have a couple of championship on his resume. Sadly, it looks like his window with Denver is already closing.
