The Denver Nuggets entered the playoffs as the top seed in the Western Conference, but is there value in buying into them to win the West?
Denver has been a consistent threat this season as one of the top teams in the NBA. They have an elite player in two-time reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, along with a high-end supporting cast led by the likes of Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon.
An issue for the Nuggets in prior seasons revolved around a lack of shooting talent and defensive awareness, but getting fully healthy and adding to their group in free agency and via trade has helped solidify their chances of winning the West.
The Nuggets signed Bruce Brown Jr. and traded for Ish Smith and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, emphasizing their need for three-and-D players. They checked those boxes off, and they have what was lacking over the last pair of seasons, a healthy roster entering the dance. In addition, the emergence of rookie Christian Braun has allowed them to do many different things defensively, highlighting how strong of a head coach Michael Malone is.
To win in the modern NBA, you need a superstar talent, which Denver has. The Nuggets are finally a genuine championship contender that should encourage anyone interested in buying into their Western Conference odds.
We saw what Murray could do when he was fully healthy during the Nuggets’ playoff run in the NBA’s bubble, and he’s demonstrated once again that he has an extra level he can get to in the postseason when the stakes are raised. Along with Murray, Gordon has also taken his game to new heights in 2022-23, which was a big reason why they were able to claim the top seed in the West.
By all accounts, if the Nuggets and Suns face off in the Western semifinals, Denver will be a slight underdog, even though they’re the higher seed. The Suns are a formidable group, and there’s no two ways around that. But there’s something very different about this Nuggets team that we haven’t seen before with this core. They may have that killer instinct that has been missing.
With their likely upcoming series close to a toss-up and the Nuggets having longer odds than the Suns, there’s definite value in backing Denver to come out on top in the West.
Buy or Sell: Buy the Nuggets to win the Western Conference
