Kentavious Caldwell-Pope recently shared his thoughts on the Denver Nuggets’ 2024 playoff performance on “The Draymond Green Show,” expressing his belief that the Los Angeles Lakers should have defeated them. He explained that the Nuggets expended a significant amount of energy during the regular season to secure the first-place position, which left them fatigued by the time the playoffs arrived.
“You know how, towards the playoffs, guys get their rest? I feel like we spent most of our energy and time trying to get that first place, you know what I’m saying, playing catch-up.”
“By the time we got to the playoffs, we had no gas left. We felt like the Lakers should have beaten us. We were down by at least 10 points every game, sometimes even by 20. We used up so much energy trying to catch up. A lot went into this season.”
KCP says Denver had no gas in the playoffs and the Lakers should have beaten them
"We had no gas. We felt like the Lakers should have beat us. We was down every game"
(🎥 @TheVolumeSports / h/t @BASKETBALLonX )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 24, 2024
The Nuggets entered the season as favorites to win the Western Conference and potentially repeat as champions. However, they faced unexpected challenges during the regular season, particularly from young and competitive teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The intense race for the top spot left the Nuggets’ stars with little opportunity for rest, ultimately impacting their playoff performance.
Caldwell-Pope, who signed with the Orlando Magic in the offseason, attributed the Nuggets’ struggles to their relentless pursuit of the No. 1 seed. Despite a critical loss to the San Antonio Spurs, they ended the regular season with a 57-25 record, finishing second in the West due to a tiebreaker. This set up a challenging first-round matchup against the Lakers.
Historically, the Nuggets had been a nemesis for the Lakers, winning eight consecutive games against them. However, the 2024 playoffs proved to be a much more difficult series than expected. In Game 1, the Nuggets overcame a 12-point deficit to win 114-101. Game 2 saw them trailing by 20 points in the second half, only to rally for a dramatic 101-99 victory on a Jamal Murray buzzer-beater.
Game 3 featured another comeback, with the Nuggets overcoming a 12-point deficit to win 112-105. The Lakers finally secured a victory in Game 4, holding onto a 19-point lead to win 119-108. In the decisive Game 5, the Nuggets edged out a 108-106 victory, again courtesy of a clutch shot from Murray.
Caldwell-Pope emphasized that the Nuggets were on the brink of losing the series, trailing nearly 75 percent of the time and frequently finding themselves down by double digits. Despite winning the series in five games, their struggles continued in the second round against the Timberwolves. Denver lost the first two games at home, sparking concerns of a potential sweep.
They responded by winning three consecutive games, but ultimately lost Game 6, leading to a decisive Game 7 at home. Despite building a 20-point lead, the Nuggets collapsed and were eliminated from the playoffs, ending their hopes of repeating as champions.
The comments from Caldwell-Pope highlight the fine margins in playoff basketball and the immense physical and mental toll of a demanding regular season. The Nuggets‘ experience serves as a reminder of the importance of managing player workload and maintaining peak performance when it matters most.
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