Denver Nuggets 2022-23 regular season & Western Conference playoff seed race

[ty 4191]

Question: Is our team a legit/serious championship contender if they remain fully healthy?

Or, has their strength of schedule (very weak thus far, relatively speaking), made them look better than they are?

Check this out: SOS thus far vs. SOS remaining games:

https://positiveresidual.com/shiny/nba/

Draftkings Championship Odds as of Today:

Celtics: +360
Nets: +550
Bucks: +750
Warriors: +900
Nuggets: +900
Grizzlies: +1000
Clippers: +1100

Western Conference Winner:
Nuggets: +400
Warriors: +425
Grizzlies: +450
Clippers: +550
Suns: +900
Pelicans: +900

Games vs. teams at/over .500 (% of games vs. teams over .500 thus far):
Celtics: 15-7 (51.2%)
Nets: 10-11 (51.2%)
Bucks: 12-6 (42.9%)
Warriors: 8-12 (47.6%)
Grizzlies: 10-7 (41.4%)
Nuggets: 11-6 (40.5%)

Games at home (% of games at home thus far):
Celtics: 17-5 (51.2%)
Nets: 13-6 (46.3%)
Bucks: 16-5 (50%)
Warriors: 17-5 (52.4%)
Grizzlies: 18-3 (51.2%)
Nuggets: 18-3 (50%)

Any predictions for the Nuggets, if they remain fully healthy, for the rest of the season? Seeding? Championship contender, or no?

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2023-nba-predictions/

[THE J0KER]

Question: Is our team a legit/serious championship contender if they remain fully healthy?

Or, has their strength of schedule (very weak thus far, relatively speaking), made them look better than they are?

Spoiler:

Check this out: SOS thus far vs. SOS remaining games:

https://positiveresidual.com/shiny/nba/

Draftkings Championship Odds as of Today:

Celtics: +360
Nets: +550
Bucks: +750
Warriors: +900
Nuggets: +900
Grizzlies: +1000
Clippers: +1100

Western Conference Winner:
Nuggets: +400
Warriors: +425
Grizzlies: +450
Clippers: +550
Suns: +900
Pelicans: +900

Games vs. teams at/over .500 (% of games vs. teams over .500 thus far):
Celtics: 15-7 (51.2%)
Nets: 10-11 (51.2%)
Bucks: 12-6 (42.9%)
Warriors: 8-12 (47.6%)
Grizzlies: 10-7 (41.4%)
Nuggets: 11-6 (40.5%)

Games at home (% of games at home thus far):
Celtics: 17-5 (51.2%)
Nets: 13-6 (46.3%)
Bucks: 16-5 (50%)
Warriors: 17-5 (52.4%)
Grizzlies: 18-3 (51.2%)
Nuggets: 18-3 (50%)

Any predictions for the Nuggets, if they remain fully healthy, for the rest of the season? Seeding? Championship contender, or no?

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2023-nba-predictions/

Denver is a serious 2023 title contender due to the team's quality, and despite a tougher schedule, I don't expect any drop in our winning percentage because two important starters Murray and Porter played about 80% of their true level due to injury recovery while important bench player Hyland underperformed. BTW, about half of our current losses (6 out of 13) are against under .500 teams anyway, which is so typical for Malone. If everyone stays healthy Denver will for the first time in franchise history finish as WC's #1 seed, probably with over .700 winning percentage (under 25 losses).

[Richard Miller]

Over half of the season is done, that's no "strength of schedule"

[Manolito]

"The Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, and Dallas Mavericks have engaged in trade discussions over Nerlens Noel, sources told James L. Edwards III of The Athletic."

I like this deal quite a lot, although I guess we would run out of assets for the wing defender. We would use Monte's TPE and send back Ish and probably DAJ with a couple of second round picks

[skywalker33]

If we're taking on $9m, i'd rather have Plumlee. Bet he could be had pretty cheap too

[mirmil]

we're getting nowhere with Bones shooting so many bad shots and playing no D, our starting unit + Bruce and Braun is really good, Zeke and Cancar are having good minutes this season, but Bones is killing us

[skywalker33]

we're getting nowhere with Bones shooting so many bad shots and playing no D, our starting unit + Bruce and Braun is really good, Zeke and Cancar are having good minutes this season, but Bones is killing us

Bones is definitely in a shooting slump, but he has also been a strong part of quite a few of our wins as well. He's a part of the strong bench rotation we need going into the playoffs, so we need to help him work his way through this.

[mirmil]

we're getting nowhere with Bones shooting so many bad shots and playing no D, our starting unit + Bruce and Braun is really good, Zeke and Cancar are having good minutes this season, but Bones is killing us

Bones is definitely in a shooting slump, but he has also been a strong part of quite a few of our wins as well. He's a part of the strong bench rotation we need going into the playoffs, so we need to help him work his way through this.

Halfway through season he is our weakest link. Can't guard a chair, his shooting will come.

[skywalker33]

we're getting nowhere with Bones shooting so many bad shots and playing no D, our starting unit + Bruce and Braun is really good, Zeke and Cancar are having good minutes this season, but Bones is killing us

Bones is definitely in a shooting slump, but he has also been a strong part of quite a few of our wins as well. He's a part of the strong bench rotation we need going into the playoffs, so we need to help him work his way through this.

Halfway through season he is our weakest link. Can't guard a chair, his shooting will come.

MPJ's defense was in question much as Bones is now and he has become a much better defender now. If you're giving up on a talented player who appears to want to improve, I still think it'd be a mistake. Hard to agree he is a weak link, but I think DAJ is worse and that we still need Hyland for our playoff run. Guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

[TunaFish]

we're getting nowhere with Bones shooting so many bad shots and playing no D, our starting unit + Bruce and Braun is really good, Zeke and Cancar are having good minutes this season, but Bones is killing us

Bones is definitely in a shooting slump, but he has also been a strong part of quite a few of our wins as well. He's a part of the strong bench rotation we need going into the playoffs, so we need to help him work his way through this.

Halfway through season he is our weakest link. Can't guard a chair, his shooting will come.

Watch on YouTube

Here is a discussion from Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce about Denver's chances to win a championship and what they might be missing.

Of interest is the point made by Garnett that Bones is a star in the making. That point is not being made often enough on this board.

[Coeur]

If we're taking on $9m, i'd rather have Plumlee. Bet he could be had pretty cheap too

He’d be good. What about James Wiseman? He could be super dynamic in the right spot.

Jeff green, ish smith, 1st
For
Wiseman ?

[Manolito]

If we're taking on $9m, i'd rather have Plumlee. Bet he could be had pretty cheap too

He’d be good. What about James Wiseman? He could be super dynamic in the right spot.

Jeff green, ish smith, 1st
For
Wiseman ?

I don't think Warriors are trading Wiseman to a West contender. Additionally, I don't see Denver spending his only FRP available (29 FRP) in a hit or miss player who shall need need a few seasons to develop.

We have 2SRP to attach to Monte's TPE to obtain a wing defender and / or backup C

[Richard Miller]

If we're taking on $9m, i'd rather have Plumlee. Bet he could be had pretty cheap too

He’d be good. What about James Wiseman? He could be super dynamic in the right spot.

Jeff green, ish smith, 1st
For
Wiseman ?

They have Kamagate coming over next year, they don't need Wiseman

[Coeur]

If we're taking on $9m, i'd rather have Plumlee. Bet he could be had pretty cheap too

He’d be good. What about James Wiseman? He could be super dynamic in the right spot.

Jeff green, ish smith, 1st
For
Wiseman ?

They have Kamagate coming over next year, they don't need Wiseman

Kamagate projects better into a 3rd big role. Wiseman is a whole different level potentially.


I think Nugs in tough spot to make a trade With so many non starters that they don’t want to or won’t move off of. Bones, BB, Braun, Cancar, and Nnaji all presumably in demand by other teams.

[skywalker33]

He’d be good. What about James Wiseman? He could be super dynamic in the right spot.

Jeff green, ish smith, 1st
For
Wiseman ?

They have Kamagate coming over next year, they don't need Wiseman

Kamagate projects better into a 3rd big role. Wiseman is a whole different level potentially.


I think Nugs in tough spot to make a trade With so many non starters that they don’t want to or won’t move off of. Bones, BB, Braun, Cancar, and Nnaji all presumably in demand by other teams.

Just curious, how do you determine Karmagte "projects" as a 3rd big when he's yet to play an NBA game ?

And how willing do you think GSW would be to give away Wiseman for Green, a 35yo F, a 35yo journeyman PG and a late 1st 6yrs down the road....I'd bet they could get better offers for a former 2nd overall pick.

[Coeur]

They have Kamagate coming over next year, they don't need Wiseman

Kamagate projects better into a 3rd big role. Wiseman is a whole different level potentially.


I think Nugs in tough spot to make a trade With so many non starters that they don’t want to or won’t move off of. Bones, BB, Braun, Cancar, and Nnaji all presumably in demand by other teams.

Just curious, how do you determine Karmagte "projects" as a 3rd big when he's yet to play an NBA game ?

And how willing do you think GSW would be to give away Wiseman for Green, a 35yo F, a 35yo journeyman PG and a late 1st 6yrs down the road....I'd bet they could get better offers for a former 2nd overall pick.

Exactly that reason. Awful lot to expect a developmental 2’d round pick to be a rotation player /backup as soon as next year.


You really think he’s play right away guy next season? Wiseman is a lot more ready or closer to being a top 8-10 type rotation player for this team

[skywalker33]

Kamagate projects better into a 3rd big role. Wiseman is a whole different level potentially.


I think Nugs in tough spot to make a trade With so many non starters that they don’t want to or won’t move off of. Bones, BB, Braun, Cancar, and Nnaji all presumably in demand by other teams.

Just curious, how do you determine Karmagte "projects" as a 3rd big when he's yet to play an NBA game ?

And how willing do you think GSW would be to give away Wiseman for Green, a 35yo F, a 35yo journeyman PG and a late 1st 6yrs down the road....I'd bet they could get better offers for a former 2nd overall pick.

Exactly that reason. Awful lot to expect a developmental 2’d round pick to be a rotation player /backup as soon as next year.


You really think he’s play right away guy next season? Wiseman is a lot more ready or closer to being a top 8-10 type rotation player for this team

Jokic was a 2nd who played right away, plus we will still have Nnaji on the roster. It will probably be under 7MPG position so that really wouldn't bother me. And what we really need is a rim-running, rim-protecting big, EXACTLY what Kamagate is.

And you skirted my question, do you really expect GSW to take that minimal offer ?? I'd bet a lot of teams could/would beat that offer of yours. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind seeing us get Wiseman, just don't see it happening here.

[Richard Miller]

He’d be good. What about James Wiseman? He could be super dynamic in the right spot.

Jeff green, ish smith, 1st
For
Wiseman ?

They have Kamagate coming over next year, they don't need Wiseman

Kamagate projects better into a 3rd big role. Wiseman is a whole different level potentially.


I think Nugs in tough spot to make a trade With so many non starters that they don’t want to or won’t move off of. Bones, BB, Braun, Cancar, and Nnaji all presumably in demand by other teams.

Kamagate is also cheap and Nuggets aren't going to sink that much money into a backup C, someone who is going to play 10 minutes or so. Also don't think Wiseman would be interested in such role either

[psimanic1]

They have Kamagate coming over next year, they don't need Wiseman

Kamagate projects better into a 3rd big role. Wiseman is a whole different level potentially.


I think Nugs in tough spot to make a trade With so many non starters that they don’t want to or won’t move off of. Bones, BB, Braun, Cancar, and Nnaji all presumably in demand by other teams.

Just curious, how do you determine Karmagte "projects" as a 3rd big when he's yet to play an NBA game ?

And how willing do you think GSW would be to give away Wiseman for Green, a 35yo F, a 35yo journeyman PG and a late 1st 6yrs down the road....I'd bet they could get better offers for a former 2nd overall pick.

If they are willing to do it, we shouldn't be, if they are not, it would be an overpay for us adding something else, so....

[skywalker33]

Well, BOS evidently wants us to join them for the best record in the NBA , they LOST AGAIN !