NFL
By Keith Richards
The 2022-2023 NBA Season is upon us! Like the last couple of seasons, the Denver Nuggets start this season with high optimism. With key players returning from injury, and critical offseason additions, the team and the fans have reason to look forward to this season. Previewing this upcoming season, we’ll look at said players returning from injury, the key additions, and tackle a few expectations for the upcoming season. So, let’s get to it!
The Big Three Rides Again…Maybe
Last season, the Nuggets finished with a record of 48-34. That was good for 6th place in the Western Conference. Nikola Jokic is the back-to-back reigning, defending NBA MVP because he’s been able to carry this squad to the playoffs for the past two seasons. If Denver has championship dreams, though, Jokic will need help. That help returns this season in the form of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.
Both Murray and Porter missed all last season due to injury. Check that. MPJ played nine games before he was sidelined. Still, the point remains that the Nuggets were without their 2nd and 3rd options all of last season. For all Denver fans, the exclusion of Jamal and Michael was painfully obvious. As a result, the team was extra dependent on Jokic. While Nikola is a competent scorer, the Nuggets operate best when he is primarily a distributor.
Photo by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images
Without question, Denver is a deep team. Depth, though, works best when it’s not relied upon too often. The return on Murray and Porter Jr. will allow players like Bones Hyland, Bruce Brown, and Jeff Green to shine more as the 2nd and 3rd units. Rather than reaching beyond their potential and relying too much on them in critical minutes, Denver can depend more on Jamal and Michael. That leads to our next discussion point: Key Offseason Additions.
Key Offseason Additions
The Nuggets made several moves this offseason. The biggest ones came in a single transaction. Denver bid farewell to Monte Morris and Will Barton when they traded them to the Wizards for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith. While Morris and Barton were both fan favorites (at some point), both lost steam with the Nuggets in the end.
KCP is a capable three-point shooter and an above-average perimeter defender. Last season, Caldwell-Pope shot 39% from three. For his career, he has hit 36%. So, Jokic’s assist total should go up, and Aaron Gordon will have a new running mate to combat opposing perimeter players. In addition, Ish Smith is a player capable of playing 15-20 minutes per night and scoring 10-12 points. So, while Murray, KCP, and Bones will likely handle the bulk of the backcourt duties, Smith will be great for spot duty.
Rounding out the key offseason additions are Bruce Brown, DeAndre Jordan, and Christian Braun. Brown and Braun are both high-energy, high-effort players that can both provide a spark off the bench. Though Jordan is not the player he used to be, he still adds toughness to a team that often sorely lacks it. So no, the Nuggets will not be hurting for depth this season.
Season Expectations
The NBA Western Conference will continue to be tough, but I expect the Nuggets to compete for the conference title. In addition, I think this is the year Denver will finally have consistent health throughout the season. With a healthy team surrounding him, I expect Nikola Jokic to approach rarified, legendary status and compete for his third straight MVP. Finally, if everything goes to plan, I expect the Nuggets to go 56-26 this season and be a top-three seed in the West. Again, the key will be health. We hope for the best on that front.
It will be a full, coverage-filled season with Nuts and Bolts Sports. So, don’t forget to check the site daily for new content. Also, for all you Nuggets fans, don’t forget to get some new gear for the new season. I already got mine!
