Hoops Habit
Fansided

Ranking Western Conference contenders after the trade deadline

By Ari Schwartz

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena on February 08, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena on February 08, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 13: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 13: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) /

2. Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets are currently first in the West with a 40-18 record, well ahead of anyone else in the conference. So why are they ranked second?

The short answer is Kevin Durant. The long answer is that, unlike teams such as Phoenix with Durant and Devin Booker, the Lakers with LeBron and AD, and the Mavericks with Luka and Kyrie, Denver lacks a true second superstar.

The Nuggets’ best players outside of two-time MVP Nikola Jokic are Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. While both players have bounced back following their season-ending injuries, neither is among the NBA’s top talents.

In a league dominated by star players, Denver has a roster full of good players who fit well into their system around one of the league’s best players in Nikola Jokic. As shown by their consecutive postseason exits in the last four years, that won’t be enough to get them out of the West.