Exit Survey: 3 goals for the wounded Denver Nuggets

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 16: Head coach Michael Malone of the Denver Nuggets complains about a call during their game against the Golden State Warriors during Game One of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center on April 16, 2022 in San Francisco, 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

If there’s one thing you can see about the Denver Nuggets, it is that their season went pretty much as everybody predicted it to. The knee injury to Jamal Murray during last year’s postseason run meant this year was always going to be a bit of a lost one.

That’s not to say it was all bad. Nikola Jokic became the back-to-back league MVP, and they gave a decent account of themselves in their first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors. Especially Jokic, who continues to show that alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, he may be the most complete player in the NBA today.

Exit Survey: 3 thoughts on the wounded Denver Nuggets

But the fact remains that windows of contention have been known to close much earlier than anticipated for other teams, and the Nuggets need to avoid this.

Just because they have Jokic and a head coach in Mike Malone who fits in well does not guarantee anything. Their supporting cast, which on the surface looked pretty good to start the season, was found to have plenty of holes in it when the time came for others to step up in the playoffs.

So this summer, it will be about seeing if Jokic somehow has another level he can get to, the status of Murray, and how good he will look when he gets back on the court. An ACL injury isn’t the death sentence to a player’s career it was even 10 years ago, but for a player as explosive as Murray, getting back to his pre-injury level will be crucial.