This Denver Nuggets Stat is Concerning for Team's Playoff Outlook
By Reed Wallach
Nikola Jokic is in a heated three-way race for his second consecutive NBA MVP, but the Denver Nuggets as a whole may be trending towards another early exit in the postseason.
In spite of Jokic's on court excellence, the Nuggets 47-32 record may be propped up by their ability to beat inferior competition. Overall, Denver has struggled to hold up against elite competition this season, which can spell a quick exit from the playoffs.
The Nuggets may have the MVP on their team, but they are still just +1200 to win the Western Conference at WynnBET Sportsbook.
The Nuggets are 16-25 vs. teams .500 or better. This is where the injuries for Jokic covers up a potential weak spot. That would normally be a decent crack against him but the injuries make it explainable/dismissable.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) April 4, 2022
I don’t know how to parse it, honestly.
The Nuggets concerning record against over .500 teams should be a red flag as the team gears up for the postseason. As it stands, the Nuggets are a half game up on the Utah Jazz for the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with a matchup against the Dallas Mavericks or Golden State Warriors in the first round.
While the team had success against the Golden State Warriors, 3-1 this season, and hung tough with the Dallas Mavericks, 1-2 on the year, the team is quite shallow as they have navigated nearly the entire season without Michael Porter Jr. (back) and Jamal Murray, who tore his ACL last spring.
Michael Porter Jr. Suffers Setback In Back Injury Rehab https://t.co/GDCPtmIWkG
— RealGM (@RealGM) March 30, 2022
There is no update on Porter since this note on March 29 that said MPJ suffered a setback in his rehab. While he hasn't been ruled out for the season, there is definitely concern around his availability for the rest of the year.
On the other end, Murray may be closer, as head coach Michael Malone noted late last week.
“We’re not shutting down Jamal Murray,” Malone said. “This is not a black-and-white issue. We’re not running a race with a definitive finish line. Who knows what the season’s going to look like after four games? Are we going to be in the playoffs? Are we going to be in the play-in? Who knows? That’s yet to be determined."
So, it seems that Murray is a little bit closer, but who knows what we can expect from a player coming off a serious injury and lengthy rehab.
One thing is clear, though, and that is Jokic's MVP level can be enough to drag the Nuggets to the postseason, but it likely won't be enough for them to make a deep postseason run as the competition gets tougher. This is evident from last seasons sweep to the hands of the Phoenix Suns, and the teams middling record against over .500 clubs this season.
Before we get to the NBA Playoffs, get read for MLB Opening Day and the 2022 season with BetSided's season preview!