Roundtable: Should the Nuggets push for the overall No. 1 seed?

The Denver Nuggets are entering the stretch run. Nikola Jokic is in pole position for another MVP, the Nuggets are the No. 1 seed in the West and Jamal Murray is back in the lineup. DNVR Nuggets previews the final two months of the season and what they’re watching for in Nuggets-Cavs.

Should the Nuggets push for the No. 1 seed in the West and the NBA?

Adam Mares: I think that there is a decent chance that the Nuggets will be within striking distance of both a franchise-record 57-wins and the #1 overall seed in the NBA heading into the final week of the season. It is going to be tempting to sprint through the finish line. I’ll stop short of saying that it’d be outright wrong of the team to gun for either of those marks but I will say that neither are more important than entering the playoffs fully healthy. So if guys are dealing with minor, nagging injuries? Shut it down. If everyone is healthy, play through.

Harrison Wind: Push? Yes. But don’t go all out. Then you’re tempting the same fate that the 73-win Warriors did. But a No. 1 seed in the West and a No. 1 overall seed could be the best thing for Denver in the playoffs. The Nuggets are the NBA’s best team at home. They’re 27-4 at Ball Arena. Two of those losses (that were by a combined three points) came with Nikola Jokic out of the lineup. Another came with Jokic and Jamal Murray coming off COVID absences. Still rest your key guys when appropriate, but do what you need to do to ensure the playoffs run through Denver.

Brendan Vogt: Denver’s sneaky capable of resting guys selectively while still picking up wins. They can try the tightrope walk. But sans any real injury concerns, I hope they go for it. They’re a juggernaut in Denver. Having home court could be the difference against a team like the Phoenix Suns. The good news is that if they pick up where they left off, they might shut the door before the season ends.

What do you need to see from Denver over the Nuggets’ final 23 games to feel good about a championship?

Mares: I’ll copy Michael Malone here and say consistency, specifically on the defensive end. I feel more than confident that the Nuggets can score at a high clip on any team in the NBA. Can they consistently defend against good teams? That’s the last question. If the answer to that is yes then the Nuggets are winning it all this year.

Wind: Defense against upper-tier playoff teams is priority No. 1. Denver can show something in that department beginning Thursday against the Cavs. Saturday against the Grizzlies will be another great test for this road defense. Then, I just want to see how the final pieces of the puzzle fit. We know this starting lineup is unstoppable. The Nuggets have a couple of reliable pieces that they know they can go to off the bench. What we still need to see is if/how Reggie Jackson and Thomas Bryant fit into this team’s final form.

Vogt: If Denver can turn in a few more convincing road performances, it will go a long way for my peace of mind. Most of the remaining questions can only be answered in the postseason. For example, how will MPJ hold up defensively? Between now and round one, Denver dominating away from home would reinforce my belief they can do this.

What are you watching for in Nuggets-Cavs?

Mares: If Aaron Gordon plays, I’d love to see how the Nuggets attack their twin big lineups. Those lineups are similar to what the 76ers deployed against Denver last month, one of the only moves that has tripped up Denver’s fully healthy lineup. So I’d love to get another look at Denver’s attack against that style. But if AG doesn’t play, I just want to see what the bench unit looks like. Who plays? Who staggers? Who shines?

Wind: Jamal Murray vs. Donovan Mitchell should be an elite matchup, and I wonder if it’s one Murray is going to take personally. He’s been on the sidelines for the last year-plus watching guys like Mitchell, Devin Booker and guys in his draft class like Jaylen Brown and Domantas Sabonis raising their stocks while he’s been idled. You can sense that he wants to get back to that level. A duel with Mitchell is appointment viewing. The Nuggets-Jazz, Murray-Mitchell bubble face-off is still somewhat present in our minds too.

Vogt: It’s all about the new look bench for me. Eventually settling into a 10-man rotation they feel comfortable with sounds appealing. And if we’re getting greedy, we’d love to see enough in the next 23 games, starting with Nuggets-Cavs, to envision a dangerous eight or nine-man rotation in the playoffs. Reggie Jackson and Thomas Bryant have a golden opportunity in front of them.