The Denver Nuggets fell out in the Western Conference Semis in four games. This wasn't their ideal ending especially since Nikola Jokic was crowned league MVP. There were fantasies that even without Jamal Murray, Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. will lead the team to the promised land and win it all. This wasn't the case last year. Unfortunately, the 2021-22 NBA season holds the same fate for the Mike Malone-coached squad. There are two big reasons why the Nuggets won't win the 2022 NBA Championship.
Denver Nuggets NBA Championship Issues
1. Jamal Murray's ACL injury
Let's start with the most obvious. Murray tore his ACL in April and underwent surgery in the same month. Players who suffer the same injury are usually sidelined the entire year. Even if Murray comes back in time for the postseason, there's a low chance the Nuggets coaching staff will play him his usual 35-40 minutes per night.
Without Murray, the Nuggets are still potent enough to make the playoffs. Making the fifth or sixth seed is very feasible. Fans won't be tearing their hair out in disappointment if the team makes it as the eighth seed. Without Murray, they'll miss 20-points per night and the occasional 50-piece. Murray also brings a lot of intangibles to the team that will be hard to replicate.
The Nuggets' main engine will comprise Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. These two will boost their production to fill in the void left by Murray. At this point, we cannot doubt Jokic's abilities. He will show up. Porter Jr., for his part, is bound to have a breakout year. The Nuggets can still squeeze out victories over stronger teams. Weaker teams will have a difficult time against them, too.
However, the player tasked to put on Murray's shoes is Facundo Camapzzo. And this is where things can get iffy with the Nuggets. The Argentinian is just a talented playmaker. That's it. He's not an elite scorer, a clutch performer, and a leader just like Murray.
2. Question marks on Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon averaged just 11.1 points in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. In Game 2 of the Western Semis against the Phoenix Suns, Gordon scored a mere six points in 20 minutes. Come Game 3, he followed it up with a four-point game in 36 minutes of play. We can defend him all we want. That perhaps he's just adjusting to Mike Malone's system. Or maybe he's still finding how to play with Jokic or MPJ.
All of these reasons are acceptable — if the Nuggets are a rebuilding team. The Nuggets have been one of the head honchos of the West for the last two seasons. Yes, there's no threat of Jokic leaving or anything like that. But the Nuggets are primed to win the title in the next few years. They cannot have players who are just figuring things out as they go. They need players who can chip it right off the bat. Especially now without Murray, they need production more than ever.
Gordon agreed to a four-year, $92 million extension. This means the front office sees something special in Gordon. Whatever it is, it definitely wasn't his playoff performance. Fans can simply hope that Gordon's new contract will motivate him to do better. If he does, then all is good. If he doesn't, then they wouldn't be surprised. Gordon has yet to prove himself to be ready for primetime.
Follow Us
Subscribe