On Saturday night I witnessed a Nuggets player do something I’ve never seen or rather, heard before. No, it wasn’t the fact that Nikola Jokic became the only player other than the great Wilt Chamberlain to post a triple double with more than 30 points and no missed FG’s. No, it wasn’t the sheer dominance in all facets of the game by a center. But late in the game, as the Joker went to the line where he was nearly perfect, I heard the most glorious chant a superstar in the NBA can hear; MVP! MVP! MVP! Obviously, it’s only been 3 games (they beat Golden State since then) but it’s how last season ended and this one has started that has me buying into the often times overused chant. Needing 6 wins to secure a playoff spot with just 6 left, the Nuggets went 5-1. Close, but not close enough. But I witness a big man mature before our very eyes during that stretch. He had cuts, scrapes and bruises all over his arms and face but that only elevated his high level of play. I saw a player take matters into his own hands while still producing assist after assist. During that 6 game span, Jokic scored 35, 30, 16, 23, 15 and 35 while securing all but one double double and three triple doubles; Big time numbers in several big time games. It was in that 6 game run that I knew Nikola Jokic, a man known by his teammates as the “Joker”, would someday become a SERIOUS contender for the MVP discussion. And the best part about it? Well one of the best parts at least: He is still going to be the same, humble, lovable Joker. After the blowout Denver delivered the Suns, Jokic was again showered with MVP chants. He jokingly said “you guys need to stop that right now,” during his post game interview. Then he paused before raising his hands as if to say, “o ok…I don’t mind.” If you are not on the Jokic bandwagon yet…you need to get on quickly as seats are filling up. The Nuggets, for the first time since Mello and English, will have a legitimate superstar. But how many of those Alex English years were the Nuggets actually contenders? How many seasons with Carmelo Anthony resulted in a first round win? No, Jokic’s Denver Nuggets haven’t done half of what those two did for the organization but the future is bright for the Serbian sensation. He has the supporting cast to do it, too. Garry Harris, Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap, Will Barton (get well soon) and a bench that should rival the best in the league will allow the Joker to not only find his shots, but create enough movement and mismatches to set him up for double doubles and triple doubles most nights. Are they a championship team? I don’t think so. Golden State, until proven otherwise, will be the team to beat. But can they pose a threat to the best in the West? I don’t see why not. This team is oozing with talent and with their youth, they will be a fixture in the NBA Playoffs for a long time to come.
President of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, should be given much of the credit for the Joker, the 3 year progression, a solid head coach and a cast of players that should elevate the Nuggets back into the playoffs. First off, the Nuggets didn’t let the Brian Shaw (first coach hired after George Karl was fired) thing overstay its welcome. After a little under 2 seasons, Connelly sent Shaw packing and hired a guy that was, in my opinion, wrongly fired by Sacramento, in Mike Malone. Connelly needed a coach that could develop his soon to be handful of young draft picks. The plan was in place before most of the team was set…..meaning Connelly knew the Nuggets had to get younger, slowly but surely, and Malone was just the guy to do it. After already drafting Garry Harris and Nikola Jokic under the Shaw regime, Connelly’s work was far from over. He continued to build a young core and with the help of Malone, he could eventually gather enough young studs to ultimately replace the last few guys left over from the Karl era; Gallo, Faried, Chandler…. Now this team is ready for the next step. It’s been a 3 year rebuild and 2018/19 looks to be the year the Nuggets finally get back in to post season play. And under Connelly’s leadership, the Nuggets have very quietly been building what could be the state of Denver’s most successful unit for years to come.
