2019 NBA Playoffs: Playing contender or pretender

BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 03: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Boston Celtics dribbles while guarded by Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder r during a game at TD Garden on February 3, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

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Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2018-19 season, going from a team on the outside looking in at the playoff picture a year ago to one residing in the No. 2 spot in the uber-competitive Western Conference.

For as great as they’ve played this season, though, the playoffs are an entirely different beast to conquer, one that requires if only a little bit of trial and error before one can truly succeed at the highest of levels.

Denver’s got one of the best young superstars in Nikola Jokic to go along with a deep and versatile roster filled with both experienced veterans and hyperactive youngsters looking to stand out, but in terms of legitimate experience in the postseason, this squad is lacking from its core group.

Paul Millsap is the most calloused of the bunch, having appeared in 87 playoff games over the span of his nearly 13-year career. Isaiah Thomas is next on the list with just 25, while the trio of Mason Plumlee, Will Barton and Trey Lyles have a combined 10 such games to their name.

That leaves important pieces like Jokic, Gary Harris, Jamal Murray and company to learn on the fly, which would be fine as a lower seed, allowing them to function without the burden of expectations. As the second-best team in the conference though, the pressure is on to deliver in the present.

There’s a reason we don’t see many fresh playoff faces make a deep run. They simply don’t know what it takes. The Nuggets are a team with a bright future, one clearly ahead of schedule, but this year, they may come to the stark realization that success in the regular season doesn’t always translate to a time where talent isn’t all that’s needed to win.