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Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff

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Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#1 » by THE J0KER » Sat Nov 11, 2017 6:39 am

I just realized we don't have a specific thread about the most important (competitive) question of this season where we going to discuss Nuggets current and projected W-L record and estimate our final position at the end of the regular season. Of course, this will be also the place where we can comment our direct Western Conference rivals performances during regular season.

I guess the best way to start this discussion is to present current standings
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#2 » by THE J0KER » Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:40 am

After 12 matches we are tied 5th with a 7-5 current record. Personally, I expected at least 8-4 start of the season because we have an easy schedule but on positive note seems that we solved now crisis from the very bad start in October, so in November we have so far a very good 4-1 record. Right now we are unexpectedly ahead Oklahoma and tied with a San Antonio, but on long-term race when OKC BIG3 starts much more effective to cooperate and when Kawhi Leonard will be back from injury, I guess this will be changed, unfortunately. But on another hand, I can't see Memphis team ahead Denver, so our current position I would rate as #6, which is btw exactly spot which I (and many others) projected for Nuggets this season.

Right behind our team is Pelicans with a great all-star big man duo Davis-Cousins, Clippers with Galo-Griffin-Jordan great frontcourt line, and Portland with great Lillard-McCollum backcourt line, and also there are great defensive teams Utah and Memphis led by great Euro big's Gobert and M.Gasol which will fight till the end. So probably there will be a long hard battle not only to stay at #6, but to reach TOP8 at all. I think our chances to dream about TOP5 spot is not realistic right now, except in case of long-term injury (30+ matches out) of crucial player of some Western opponents (like Westbrook/George, KAT/Butler, Leonard, Harden)... or if we before end of 2017, using Faried and our 2018 draft pick, very improve our roster with a very useful SF or PG player (I think we already wasted good opportunity with Eric Bledsoe, and maybe there will not be any similar chance for such big instant roster improvement this season).

All in all, after so scary and frustrating start in October, we are right now in position where we expected to be, and next 3 matches vs in-form Orlando and our WC rivals @Portland and New Orleans will be very important to keep this good November's momentum if Denver manage to win at least two out of this three matches!
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#3 » by NuggetsWY » Sat Nov 11, 2017 11:25 am

Yup, in good shape now but partly due to other teams struggling - making our struggles look not so bad.
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#4 » by skywalker33 » Sat Nov 11, 2017 10:39 pm

Like someone said to me, this is WAY TOO early !! I do like to hope we won't drop outta the like playoff picture, let's see how we can jockey for placement :wink:
Texas Chuck wrote:I'd like to see Utah, and Denver lose


Exactly as I've been saying all along !!
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#5 » by skywalker33 » Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:36 am

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE if the playoffs started today
Texas Chuck wrote:I'd like to see Utah, and Denver lose


Exactly as I've been saying all along !!
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#6 » by THE J0KER » Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:58 am

I should start this thread tonight, not yesterday :D

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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#7 » by psimanic1 » Sun Nov 12, 2017 12:27 pm

Lets hope we win 5 or 6 in next 8, we could if we win first one..
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#8 » by NuggetsWY » Sun Nov 12, 2017 1:09 pm

Anyone think the Warriors are worried? :lol: Probably not!
Anyone think other teams might be worried about the Nuggets in 2 or 3 years? :nod:
Anyone still believe we should have traded our young players?
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#9 » by THE J0KER » Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:17 am

NuggetsWY wrote:Anyone think the Warriors are worried? :lol: Probably not!
Anyone think other teams might be worried about the Nuggets in 2 or 3 years? :nod:
Anyone still believe we should have traded our young players?

It is not that simple! I understand what You mean that several our crucial players can be only better at the time, and we should be only patient and enjoy the process.

But our 2nd best player is a 33yo veteran which will be at this high level this and next season when his 2+1 contract expires. And we can't just sign some other FA with the same price and quality because we must in meanwhile to maximize franchise player Jokic and to secure future star Murray. So we have reasons to try to do our best in next two seasons till Millsap is there, despite I agree that "let the guys grow, and enjoy" is also a legitimate strategy in this circumstances. For me, Murray is future all-star player, but I will not withdraw my bold statement before this summer's draft that we should give Chicago what they ask for Butler (Murray and #13), because in that case, we would become overnight team with best frontcourt line in the whole NBA (Butler-Millsap-Jokic) and next at least two seasons would be new golden era of franchise, no doubt for me. I guess (thanx to GSW dynasty) we would never reach superfinal, only conference final, but that scenario similar to SAC Weber-Divac-Stojakovic times, PHO with Nash-Marion-Amare, LAC CP3-Griffin-Jordan... seems OK to me, to make our franchise 1-tier relevant for a couple of years.

BTW, talking about a subject (Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff), I think we are free now to delete Utah from the list of contenders after Gobert injury which will force him out for about 15-20 matches (4-6 weeks). Without Hayward, Jazz chances for a playoff would be realistic only in perfect case scenario for them. Rubio seems like great roster improvement, rookie Mitchell as well, and Ingles also improve. But after this Gobert injury, we already know "perfect scenario" will not happen to them this season...
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#10 » by Alatan » Mon Nov 13, 2017 3:09 pm

I doubt that Jokic, Millsap, Buttler combo would work since the spacing would be terrible. Just look at Minnesota. The D would be better but the spacing would destroy us. Maybe is we got 2 sharpshooters to play the 2 and 3 and have Buttler be our G-F but that would be tricky.
Talking about spacing i can't but mention Rubio. The dude kills it plain and simple. I dont know where you got the impression that he is a great roster improvement. Look at the Jazz board, they are already looking to move him.
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#11 » by THE J0KER » Thu Nov 16, 2017 11:49 am

In just 3 days many things are changed:
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Clippers team continues to bleeding, also Utah without Gobert, and now Memphis is without Conley... maybe Western TOP8 playoff teams will be locked already around Christmass and we will battle with POR and NOP until end of the season for 6-7-8 spot. That is why tonight match vs Pelicans is so important, especially after that frustrating loss in Portland.
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#12 » by psimanic1 » Thu Nov 16, 2017 3:17 pm

THE J0KER wrote:In just 3 days many things are changed:
Image

Clippers team continues to bleeding, also Utah without Gobert, and now Memphis is without Conley... maybe Western TOP8 playoff teams will be locked already around Christmass and we will battle with POR and NOP until end of the season for 6-7-8 spot. That is why tonight match vs Pelicans is so important, especially after that frustrating loss in Portland.

tomorrow night is more important :nod: :nod: :D
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#13 » by NuggetsWY » Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:31 pm

psimanic1 wrote:
THE J0KER wrote:In just 3 days many things are changed:
Image

Clippers team continues to bleeding, also Utah without Gobert, and now Memphis is without Conley... maybe Western TOP8 playoff teams will be locked already around Christmass and we will battle with POR and NOP until end of the season for 6-7-8 spot. That is why tonight match vs Pelicans is so important, especially after that frustrating loss in Portland.

tomorrow night is more important :nod: :nod: :D

Tomorrow night might be more important to the "anti-LA crowd" but standings-wise, tonight is probably more important --- then again, losing tomorrow would be really bad because it's a game we should win. ;-)
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#14 » by psimanic1 » Thu Nov 16, 2017 8:03 pm

we are not playing against NOP tonight!? atleast nba app doesn't have us playing tonight :D
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#15 » by skywalker33 » Fri Nov 17, 2017 8:09 pm

Looks like it's time to put some distance between us and MEM, looks like Conley is going to be out a couple of weeks. Conley will probably miss our Nov 24th matchup plus we have some games against the likes of the Lakers, Kings, Mavs, Bull and Jazz over the next couple of week.
Texas Chuck wrote:I'd like to see Utah, and Denver lose


Exactly as I've been saying all along !!
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#16 » by THE J0KER » Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:48 am

Perfect night for Nuggets.

We slammed direct opponent Pelicans, and another major rival Portland has shocking lose vs Sacramento. Utah and Clippers loss as well, and maybe we will really have at the end some chances to be ahead OKC (lose once again) if they continued to struggle.

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West checkpoint after 15 matches:

GSW - still best team in the world

HOU - everything is great + CP3 is back

SAS - great results even without their only superstar
OKC - shockingly bad starts, but seems they start to regroup now (after losing in Denver they are 3-1)
MIN - not impressive game so far, but they overwhelming most of the opponents by scary big individual quality of starting lineup

DENVER - we are one of the hottest teams in the league, 8-3 in last 11 matches, and have an easy schedule next two weeks.

NOP - two players team. Maybe Rondo comeback from injury will make they better.
POR - another two players team, Nurkic still not rise on expected level.
LAC - they won just one out of the last 10 matches. But they are a still respectable team which currently playing without all their notable newcomers (Gallo, Teodosic, Beverley)

UTA - best player Gobert is out for at least 4 weeks and they bleeding. When he will back, it will be probably already too late to catch Denver (same we can say about Clippers). The best thing for them this season is already happen: Donovan Mitchell.
MEM - shocked everyone with a good start of the season, but lack of quality (for WC-Playoff standards) now pays off.

LAL, PHO, DAL, SAC - out of the discussion... no playoff contenders by any meaning this season
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#17 » by THE J0KER » Wed Nov 29, 2017 5:46 am

Image

Millsap almost season-end injury seems that will not have a tragic influence on our efforts to reach playoff after 5 years. Utah with Gobert out and in-slump Memphis (with injured Conley) are in worse position, and LA Clippers join the club with a fresh "out for two months" B.Griffin injury.

From this perspective, by far most realistic scenario now seems 8th place on the West after the end of regular season.
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#18 » by kololoco » Wed Nov 29, 2017 8:22 am

THE J0KER wrote:Image

Millsap almost season-end injury seems that will not have a tragic influence on our efforts to reach playoff after 5 years. Utah with Gobert out and in-slump Memphis (with injured Conley) are in worse position, and LA Clippers join the club with a fresh "out for two months" B.Griffin injury.

From this perspective, by far most realistic scenario now seems 8th place on the West after the end of regular season.


Yeah, looking at the standings, seems near impossible for you guys to miss the playoffs, but not because you are good, but because there are so many bad teams in the west this year. I still expect OKC to turn it around by mid season, and get into the PO, but Clippers are definitely out, and I think Utah has slim to 0 chance of being better. And this even may be a bad thing for you guys, since I really think you need a coaching change asap, and the fear of traumatizing the team and missing the playoffs will keep Malone till the end of the season, maybe longer, and that is a dead end. I think there is something wrong with Jokic. He didn't have such ups and downs last year, he plays with less joy. He is so talented that he mostly still gets the job done, but it does not look good.
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#19 » by Alatan » Wed Nov 29, 2017 2:41 pm

Lakeres might be in the playoff race after all lol. Clippers out with tons of injuries, Jazz out without Gobert and with no spacing, Memphis out because of no coaching and lack of tallent, we are also sucking without Millsap with this new playstyle. So the Lakers have a chance lol.
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Re: Western Conference 2017-18 Race to Playoff 

Post#20 » by NuggetsWY » Wed Nov 29, 2017 3:24 pm

kololoco wrote:
THE J0KER wrote:Image

Millsap almost season-end injury seems that will not have a tragic influence on our efforts to reach playoff after 5 years. Utah with Gobert out and in-slump Memphis (with injured Conley) are in worse position, and LA Clippers join the club with a fresh "out for two months" B.Griffin injury.

From this perspective, by far most realistic scenario now seems 8th place on the West after the end of regular season.


Yeah, looking at the standings, seems near impossible for you guys to miss the playoffs, but not because you are good, but because there are so many bad teams in the west this year. I still expect OKC to turn it around by mid season, and get into the PO, but Clippers are definitely out, and I think Utah has slim to 0 chance of being better. And this even may be a bad thing for you guys, since I really think you need a coaching change asap, and the fear of traumatizing the team and missing the playoffs will keep Malone till the end of the season, maybe longer, and that is a dead end. I think there is something wrong with Jokic. He didn't have such ups and downs last year, he plays with less joy. He is so talented that he mostly still gets the job done, but it does not look good.

Interesting - Denver is 6-3 against the East I believe. All those "bad teams in the west" seem to be beating Denver though.

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