DIASTER: The Denver Nuggets’ Greatest Danger, According to Pope
Right now, the reigning champion Denver Nuggets are on a roll. Now 9-1 in their last 10 games, the Nuggets are 45-20 and sit 0.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for first place in the Western Conference.
Currently, the Nuggets (+450) have the second best odds to win the NBA Finals this season. They are right behind the league leader Boston Celtics, who they are 2-0 against this season. Although Nuggets shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope called the Phoenix Suns one of Denver’s biggest threats in the Western Conference, even though they look almost unbeatable right now.
Caldwell-Pope also mentioned the Minnesota Timberwolves and Thunder as potential threats.Kentav Caldwell-Pope reveals Denver Nuggets’ biggest threatPhoenix Suns can’t be counted outEntering the season, it seemed unlikely that the Suns simply wouldn’t . 6 seeds and less than 20 games left.
However, that is exactly where the team stands. Phoenix currently owns a record of 38-27 and is 7.5 games out of first place. However, that is mostly due to the constant injuries the team has to deal with.The Suns acquired guard Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards last season.
Along with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, Beal was expected to help the Suns get over the hump and bring home a title this season. As of March 12, however, the Suns’ trio had combined for just 24 games. That means they are 15-9 in those games and everyone is hitting well together.
Additionally, the Suns and Nuggets have met twice this season, with each team winning one game, tying the series thus far. It’s clear that when they’re healthy, the Suns are a team to be reckoned with.Phoenix has good matchups with the NuggetsLast season, the Suns and Nuggets met in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Nuggets defeated the Suns in six games en route to their first championship in franchise history. However, the Suns are a completely different team this time around. Despite losing Chris Paul in the trade for Beal, the Suns have built a good team.
Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen joined the team in a three-team trade that saw Damian Lillard go to the Milwaukee Bucks. Both players have had exceptional seasons and fit the team well.
In addition, the Suns also acquired Bol Bol, Royce O’Neale and Thaddeus Young in the offseason.The Nuggets are a safe bet to pick again when these two teams meet in the postseason. However, the Suns are good enough to upset the reigning champions. Phoenix has a lot of explosive offenses and is also an above-average defensive team. If the Suns are healthy, that could make things difficult for the Nuggets.A final word on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s commentsIt seems very likely now that the Nuggets will reach a second straight NBA Finals.
However, when healthy, the Suns are one of the best teams in the league. If anyone in the Western Conference can beat Denver, it might be the Suns..
