Denver Nuggets: 3 reasons they’re legitimate contenders

1. Their offense is unstoppable when it’s humming

During the regular season, defense takes a back seat and doesn’t receive the same attention that offense does. When the playoffs happen, that all changes. Defenses have to focus on just one opponent, and they don’t have to worry about stopping anyone else. That can work against offenses that are more of the average variety, but that isn’t the case for this particular Nuggets squad.

They are fourth in the NBA in offensive rating this season, but when the Nuggets are rolling, there isn’t a team in the league that can completely slow them down. They have the ability to shoot from all over the floor when they’re hot, and they can also get to the rim thanks to the spacing they get from their bigs.

Jokic elevates the entire team on the offensive end, and he’s the reason this group can play the way it does. The Nuggets can set up with a lot of shooters around him, but when he’s off the floor, the offense can completely change, which throws off how the defense can slow them down. They run more of a pick-and-roll offense that’s initiated by the guards rather than the bigs. If the Nuggets are hitting their shots in the playoffs, they could make a really long run.