The Denver Nuggets are the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and have the third-best record in the entire NBA. They are led by Nikola Jokic, who is seemingly set to win a 3rd MVP award.
But some have questioned if the Denver Nuggets will be able to perform in the playoffs. And Paul Pierce has become the latest on that list, claiming they would lose in the first round against the Los Angeles Lakers or Golden State Warriors.
“If the Denver Nuggets see the Lakers, if they see Golden State, they gon' get popped in the first round.”
– Paul Pierce
(Via @shobasketball ) pic.twitter.com/g2M0HwEHM6
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 12, 2023
Speaking to Kevin Garnett on Showtime Basketball, Pierce said, “If the Denver Nuggets see the Lakers, if they see Golden State, they gon’ get popped in the first round.”
That is a huge claim to make considering that both Golden State and Los Angeles have had their issues this season. The Denver Nuggets look set to finish the season as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, meaning they would play the team that made it in using the final play-in spot. The West is incredibly tight this season and both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors could fall in that category.
While the Nuggets haven’t enjoyed much playoff success in recent years, facing Nikola Jokic in the playoffs is no easy task for any team. Both Stephen Curry and LeBron James have plenty of experience winning championships, but with a healthy supporting cast, Jokic likely won’t be scared of either. The media do seem to think that they could fall early, though.
Colin Cowherd Said He Doesn’t Trust The Nuggets In The Western Conference
The Denver Nuggets have lost their last two games against the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs, both quite bad teams this season. And there is a mistrust of what they can achieve among the media, with Colin Cowherd bluntly saying that he doesn’t trust the team to beat the best in the West during the postseason.
“If they were healthy, I’d pick the Lakers,” Cowherd said. “I don’t trust Denver in the West. Playoff basketball is about being great at stuff. It’s not about depth. It’s not about plaques. It’s not about MVPs. The Lakers, when AD and LeBron are healthy, they have things they’re great at.”
Paul Pierce tends to overstate things, and it might be a bit much to suggest that the Nuggets would lose in the first round. But stranger things have happened, and the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers both have proven superstars. The Nuggets will need to beat the best to get to the Finals, and they will be itching to prove the doubters like Pierce wrong.
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