Denver reporter: Nuggets may need to break up the team

[zero rings]

I like Mares, but he and other Denver media guys have been puffing smoke up this team's ass for years. Murray in particular has been insanely overrated. A handful of big playoff games has blinded everyone to his very real limitations as a player, namely that he isn't a great athlete and doesn't create any easy shots for himself. This idea that he can just turn it on and become "Playoff Murray" on a whim is laughably dumb analysis. It's called shooting variance, people.

Bottom line, Jokic is a basketball God and makes the Nuggets way better than they have any business being. He might be the best floor raiser in the history of the sport. If he had a legitimately great supporting cast, we would be looking at the NBA's next great dynasty. Instead, we will have to scrap and claw for every series win.

I hope Mares and others keep this same energy if we end up losing and don't revert back to their usual homer takes. This team is good but could be much better.

Mares is far from a homer. Dear god what the ****.

I said I like him, and I think he's a good analyst. But he is just as guilty as anyone when it comes to overrating all of the non-Jokic players on the team. He's been a big promoter of the Nuggets having the "perfect starting 5" and other such nonsense.

In reality, this a mediocre team with a transcendent player. It took us going down 0-2 to the Wolves for him to finally acknowledge it.

[AleksandarN]

I like Mares, but he and other Denver media guys have been puffing smoke up this team's ass for years. Murray in particular has been insanely overrated. A handful of big playoff games has blinded everyone to his very real limitations as a player, namely that he isn't a great athlete and doesn't create any easy shots for himself. This idea that he can just turn it on and become "Playoff Murray" on a whim is laughably dumb analysis. It's called shooting variance, people.

Bottom line, Jokic is a basketball God and makes the Nuggets way better than they have any business being. He might be the best floor raiser in the history of the sport. If he had a legitimately great supporting cast, we would be looking at the NBA's next great dynasty. Instead, we will have to scrap and claw for every series win.

I hope Mares and others keep this same energy if we end up losing and don't revert back to their usual homer takes. This team is good but could be much better.

Mares is far from a homer. Dear god what the ****.

I said I like him, and I think he's a good analyst. But he is just as guilty as anyone when it comes to overrating all of the non-Jokic players on the team. He's been a big promoter of the Nuggets having the "perfect starting 5" and other such nonsense.

In reality, this a mediocre team with a transcendent player. It took us going down 0-2 to the Wolves for him to finally acknowledge it.

This is not a mediocre team just stop it. AG is one of the best role players in the game. MPJ is a great shooter. KCP is a good role player who is the best in the nba at navigating screens. Jamal is a good to great number two. He just lacks consistency. Jokic is the best player in the nba and truly a transcendent player. He had the best pieces around him to make use of the best bbiq the game has seen in my opinion. But his team is not mediocre.

[zero rings]

Mares is far from a homer. Dear god what the ****.

I said I like him, and I think he's a good analyst. But he is just as guilty as anyone when it comes to overrating all of the non-Jokic players on the team. He's been a big promoter of the Nuggets having the "perfect starting 5" and other such nonsense.

In reality, this a mediocre team with a transcendent player. It took us going down 0-2 to the Wolves for him to finally acknowledge it.

This is not a mediocre team just stop it. AG is one of the best role players in the game. MPJ is a great shooter. KCP is a good role player who is the best in the nba at navigating screens. Jamal is a good to great number two. He just lacks consistency. Jokic is the best player in the nba and truly a transcendent player. He had the best pieces around him to make use of the best bbiq the game has seen in my opinion. But his team is not mediocre.

Was AG one of the best role players in the game before Jokic was diming him up every night? No. His lack of outside shooting would make him a liability on a lot of teams.

MPJ is a great shooter with size and a truly elite role player IMO. To me he's the second most important Nugget and would be a great fit on any team.

KCP is fine for what he is, but largely replaceable. Sucks that he's not making his shots right now.

As for Murray, he is pretty far from being a great number two. You say he just lacks consistency, as if that isn't a big deal lol. This isn't a Paul George or Scottie Pippen type player who is always bringing elite defense to the table. If Murray isn't making all those tough pullup jumpers, he's a liability. I'd wager there's at least 10 guards in the league who would be strict upgrades, and probably another 10 who could fill in with no noticeable drop off.

Everyone else on the team is replacement level or worse.

[Mr Peanut]

Hot take central. How about we wait until this series is over before making these proclamations?

If the Nuggets turn around and evened the series at 2-2 there would probably be someone out there claiming the Wolves need to blow it up.

It’s not that they lost, it’s how they’ve been losing. Handily. With ease. At home. The second game without the league’s DPOY. Nope, downplaying won’t work here.

Well well well

[SpreeS]

Embiid, giannis and jokic (and davis) are far from not being able to compete next year

Sixers looked like a contender when healthy (yes, i know) and next season they have all the cap space in the world to look for a wing to complement embiid/maxey (paul george?, the hilarious jimmy butler attempt 2?, someone younger and not im the downswing)

Nuggets literally won 56 games, and a ring just a yeat ago too lol, find depth again and maybe upgrade on kcp and run it back with your guys next year (assuming they dont pull off a comeback this same year)

Bucks still have somethingh left in lillard/middleton tanka for next season and a healthy giannis was lowkey the best player in the league this season. If they can pull off the pieces they can compete for a title if giannis is healthy

Ofcouse they will contend for couple years, if Embiid/Giannis/Murray/Middleton/Lillard are healthy and Jokic/Murray/Porter somehow get start to defend oppenents with loaded elite guards/wings.

BOS is way healthier and in prime years, than MIL and PHI. And NY at full power with IND if Hali/Mathurin make next step of develpment will be on same level with PHI and MIL very soon.

Now everyone talk about OKC/MIN with elite guards and good bigs. But I could add MEM to this group too. Morant and Bane with DPOY level big in JJJ could be bad fit for DEN in PO. These young teams are constructed to kill DEN in PO. They all have elite defensive bigs to bother Jokic also good/elite wings/guards to defend Murray. On other end Jokic must deal with front court guys who can score +20pts and to help defend elite fast guards in Edwards/Morant/Shai/Bane/JWill.

I was so wrong overreaction

[LaLover11]

Lakers don't want Nori anymore
We just blocked his phone number

[Johnny Firpo]

We take that Jokic guy, if he's available.

[Wingy]

Break it up! Denver’s a disaster!

[WentzerWuver]

Lakers don't want Nori anymore
We just blocked his phone number

And we don't want ANT either, he chokes even worse than Dlo under pressure Lol

[Celts17Pride]

Talking basketball heads. Always talking and saying nothing.

Like I said.

[HotelVitale]

I said I like him, and I think he's a good analyst. But he is just as guilty as anyone when it comes to overrating all of the non-Jokic players on the team. He's been a big promoter of the Nuggets having the "perfect starting 5" and other such nonsense.

In reality, this a mediocre team with a transcendent player. It took us going down 0-2 to the Wolves for him to finally acknowledge it.

This is not a mediocre team just stop it. AG is one of the best role players in the game. MPJ is a great shooter. KCP is a good role player who is the best in the nba at navigating screens. Jamal is a good to great number two. He just lacks consistency. Jokic is the best player in the nba and truly a transcendent player. He had the best pieces around him to make use of the best bbiq the game has seen in my opinion. But his team is not mediocre.

Was AG one of the best role players in the game before Jokic was diming him up every night? No. His lack of outside shooting would make him a liability on a lot of teams.

MPJ is a great shooter with size and a truly elite role player IMO. To me he's the second most important Nugget and would be a great fit on any team.

KCP is fine for what he is, but largely replaceable. Sucks that he's not making his shots right now.

As for Murray, he is pretty far from being a great number two. You say he just lacks consistency, as if that isn't a big deal lol. This isn't a Paul George or Scottie Pippen type player who is always bringing elite defense to the table. If Murray isn't making all those tough pullup jumpers, he's a liability. I'd wager there's at least 10 guards in the league who would be strict upgrades, and probably another 10 who could fill in with no noticeable drop off.

Everyone else on the team is replacement level or worse.

Well even when you're trying to play it down your description is of a really nice team, not a 'mediocre' one. You don't actually think this supporting cast is weak and it seems like a bad strategy to argue against it being 'great' by saying the worst thing you can about each player.

Before being on the Nuggets, AG was definitely not a 'liability' and was viewed as a very talented player who was overmatched as a #1-#2. Murray has been ridiculous many times when it's mattered most, his inconsistency and half disappearing periods are part of his story but so are all his very good performances in the PO. You're either trolling or missing something huge if you think there are really 20 guards who could slot right in and do what Murray does in the PO.

It's not an elite cast of guys, not on its own. But it's a very strong supporting cast of smart and talented players who play their parts really well, that's the obvious take and the first thing we should all be starting from. It woujldn't be great without Jokic of course but it's also really really good for him. We all agree with that, can parse out the subtleties from there.

[zero rings]

This is not a mediocre team just stop it. AG is one of the best role players in the game. MPJ is a great shooter. KCP is a good role player who is the best in the nba at navigating screens. Jamal is a good to great number two. He just lacks consistency. Jokic is the best player in the nba and truly a transcendent player. He had the best pieces around him to make use of the best bbiq the game has seen in my opinion. But his team is not mediocre.

Was AG one of the best role players in the game before Jokic was diming him up every night? No. His lack of outside shooting would make him a liability on a lot of teams.

MPJ is a great shooter with size and a truly elite role player IMO. To me he's the second most important Nugget and would be a great fit on any team.

KCP is fine for what he is, but largely replaceable. Sucks that he's not making his shots right now.

As for Murray, he is pretty far from being a great number two. You say he just lacks consistency, as if that isn't a big deal lol. This isn't a Paul George or Scottie Pippen type player who is always bringing elite defense to the table. If Murray isn't making all those tough pullup jumpers, he's a liability. I'd wager there's at least 10 guards in the league who would be strict upgrades, and probably another 10 who could fill in with no noticeable drop off.

Everyone else on the team is replacement level or worse.

Well even when you're trying to play it down your description is of a really nice team, not a 'mediocre' one. You don't actually think this supporting cast is weak and it seems like a bad strategy to argue against it being 'great' by saying the worst thing you can about each player.

Before being on the Nuggets, AG was definitely not a 'liability' and was viewed as a very talented player who was overmatched as a #1-#2. Murray has been ridiculous many times when it's mattered most, his inconsistency and half disappearing periods are part of his story but so are all his very good performances in the PO. You're either trolling or missing something huge if you think there are really 20 guards who could slot right in and do what Murray does in the PO.

It's not an elite cast of guys, not on its own. But it's a very strong supporting cast of smart and talented players who play their parts really well, that's the obvious take and the first thing we should all be starting from. It woujldn't be great without Jokic of course but it's also really really good for him. We all agree with that, can parse out the subtleties from there.

I stand by what I said. This supporting cast is absolutely mediocre for a team trying to repeat. Yes they have some solid players who can play their roles well, but that’s true for almost every team in the league. Even the bad teams have solid pros on them who could contribute in the right situation.

To me a strong supporting cast is a team that could win close to half their games without the superstar. Based on what we’ve seen over the past 4 years, I doubt the Nuggets would win even 30 games if you swapped Jokic with an average starting center. They don’t have a single player who raises the floor of the team without Jokic, which shows up in all the on/off data. They are terrible without him.

And I’m not trolling with Murray. The league is loaded with talent at the guard position and he isn’t anything special. Put him on the Hornets and we’re not talking about him at all. Put him on a team with a less consistent star than Jokic, and he’d come under major scrutiny for his erratic play. We’re 10 games into the playoffs now, and he’s rocking a 47% TS on 20 shots per game…

If he were Giannis or Embiid’s teammate he’d be getting eviscerated right now.

[TinmanZBoy]

Talking basketball heads. Always talking and saying nothing.

Like I said.

Well… if that’s what you do for a living, basically talking bb everyday… you have to come up with some ideas and talking points … that’s what you will get from them

[TinmanZBoy]

Was AG one of the best role players in the game before Jokic was diming him up every night? No. His lack of outside shooting would make him a liability on a lot of teams.

MPJ is a great shooter with size and a truly elite role player IMO. To me he's the second most important Nugget and would be a great fit on any team.

KCP is fine for what he is, but largely replaceable. Sucks that he's not making his shots right now.

As for Murray, he is pretty far from being a great number two. You say he just lacks consistency, as if that isn't a big deal lol. This isn't a Paul George or Scottie Pippen type player who is always bringing elite defense to the table. If Murray isn't making all those tough pullup jumpers, he's a liability. I'd wager there's at least 10 guards in the league who would be strict upgrades, and probably another 10 who could fill in with no noticeable drop off.

Everyone else on the team is replacement level or worse.

Well even when you're trying to play it down your description is of a really nice team, not a 'mediocre' one. You don't actually think this supporting cast is weak and it seems like a bad strategy to argue against it being 'great' by saying the worst thing you can about each player.

Before being on the Nuggets, AG was definitely not a 'liability' and was viewed as a very talented player who was overmatched as a #1-#2. Murray has been ridiculous many times when it's mattered most, his inconsistency and half disappearing periods are part of his story but so are all his very good performances in the PO. You're either trolling or missing something huge if you think there are really 20 guards who could slot right in and do what Murray does in the PO.

It's not an elite cast of guys, not on its own. But it's a very strong supporting cast of smart and talented players who play their parts really well, that's the obvious take and the first thing we should all be starting from. It woujldn't be great without Jokic of course but it's also really really good for him. We all agree with that, can parse out the subtleties from there.

I stand by what I said. This supporting cast is absolutely mediocre for a team trying to repeat. Yes they have some solid players who can play their roles well, but that’s true for almost every team in the league. Even the bad teams have solid pros on them who could contribute in the right situation.

To me a strong supporting cast is a team that could win close to half their games without the superstar. Based on what we’ve seen over the past 4 years, I doubt the Nuggets would win even 30 games if you swapped Jokic with an average starting center. They don’t have a single player who raises the floor of the team without Jokic, which shows up in all the on/off data. They are terrible without him.

And I’m not trolling with Murray. The league is loaded with talent at the guard position and he isn’t anything special. Put him on the Hornets and we’re not talking about him at all. Put him on a team with a less consistent star than Jokic, and he’d come under major scrutiny for his erratic play. We’re 10 games into the playoffs now, and he’s rocking a 47% TS on 20 shots per game…

If he were Giannis or Embiid’s teammate he’d be getting eviscerated right now.

The defense this team has played all season long is a vindication of keeping your core and built from there… as a team, you can’t collect all top talents in one team, right?

[WentzerWuver]

Break it up! Denver’s a disaster!

Exactly what Joker closest followers and fans recently said that Jokic is not HIM!

Time to break up this team as demanded!!!!!

[TunaFish]

The only question the Nuggets will have at the end of the season will involve KCP. First will he opt out, that's likely. How much of a raise will he demand in the offseason? Can't the Nuggets afford to bring him back?

Otherwise, little change is expected.

[tcheco]

The only question the Nuggets will have at the end of the season will involve KCP. First will he opt out, that's likely. How much of a raise will he demand in the offseason? Can't the Nuggets afford to bring him back?

Otherwise, little change is expected.

KCP surprised me yesterday, he guarded even KAT effectively for spurts.

One thing is clear to me is that roster continuity is one of the reasons they can play they way they have, they seem so in sync and knowing where to go every single play(when Jokic is in).

I think they will keep KCP if they can afford to, and make minor changes, agreed. They are hoping Braun can eventually take over for him, but he needs that 3 ball to fit in the role KCP operates

[HotRocks34]

All the flaws were there tonight in Game 6 vs Minny.

The #2 and #3 guys are max players who are one-way entities who can disappear in big spots, as they did tonight.

Normal Gordon can't shoot like this over a sustained period.

After the Jokic masterpiece in Game 5, the Minny game plan for Game 6 was obvious -- double Jokic and make the Denver Others beat you.

Minny played it perfectly, and the Denver Others collapsed.

Yes, Murray is hurt and I thought Denver looked tired tonight early on. And the Game 2 refs were in the building for this one and let Minny be very physical, again. Fair enough.

Maybe you can keep things intact, but at the very least you need guys like Brown and Green who can pick up the slack when the top Others struggle.

Win or lose, Booth has a lot to do this offseason. Allowing your team to be so reliant on high-volatility guys like Mal and Mike without any solid backups (Jackson, Holiday are below par even though both have shot well this series) is a formula for problems.

Also, you have to get a real backup center. Jokic has to be able to rest more.

[TheShow2021]

Unfortunately, as good as Jokic is, I think odds are he never wins another championship or MVP 2025 and onward (unless he moved to a big market team or a marketable superstar joined him). This is probably his last bench chance. With most of the fans american and 30% black, a guy like Anthony Edwards is much more marketable, and I can't see the league allowing Jokic to be the face of the league too much longer.

With selective prison ball reffing the NBA can draw up exactly how it wants a Denver Minny series to go. (Just look at all the blow out games)

As it pertains to this thread, the current squad isn't going to get it done in the future. The league will be doing what it can to nudge results against the Nuggets. So as a team they will have to be markedly better to have a realistic shot.

[Godymas]

you know what

if the Nuggets lose this series, they might have to consider SOMETHING