Infinite Llamas wrote:BelgradeNugget wrote:hardenASG13 wrote:
Nah, the whole NBA wasn't bad last year, just the teams Denver faced weren't very good. It led me question how impressive it was, and whether they could beat quality teams such as the ones near the top of the West this season (Minny, OKC, Dallas). They couldn't, which kind of proves the skepticism. I similarly questioned the Bucks after 2021, got heavy pushback, and we know whats happened to them before and after that season. Giannis was being talked about as a potential top 5 all time player, and it was ridiculous and based on a weak ring. This isnt a Jokic thing exclusively for me.
I think Memphis was a hot mess as the 2 seed, and Sacramento was a weak 3 seed out west. Phoenix wasnt good and was beyond flawed, starting cam payne and okogie with no NBA caliber bench players, and the Lakers werent a threat, just like this year. In the East, Embiid got injured like always, Milwaukee lost to a good team like they always do, and Boston inexplicably lost the first 3 games to Miami, and then Tatum got hurt the first play of game 7. I also watched Miamis series and they played way over their heads the first 2 rounds, and to start the Boston series. By the time they reached the finals they were on fumes and their role players stopped playing like all stars, and were an extremely easy finals opponent.
3. Denver didn't skip anyone, never said they did. That can be true while the fact that none of the teams they played were even as good as this year's Minnesota is also true, therefore I don't think it proved a whole lot.3. So you want to say all NBA was bad last year with no good team?Nah, the whole NBA wasn't bad last year, just the teams Denver faced weren't very good. OK name me good teams contenders, team that were better than the teams Nuggets beat from LAST year.
They can’t. It’s because Boston was literally the only threat to them last year. That’s how freaking goood that Denver was.
Yeah, it probably was just Boston, or a healthy Milwaukee or Philly. It's not Denvers fault those teams flamed out or were impacted by injuries. But that doesn't mean beating the teams they did proved much of anything, other than they could beat those teams who they clearly outmatched. When they got up against a legit team in Minnesota, who is about to get bounced quickly by Luka and the Mavs, they lost. That doesn't tell you anything about how weak things were last season?
It doesn't change the fact that Minnesota, Phoenix, LA and Miami weren't typical caliber teams you'd see in the rounds each was faced (aside from Minny, who was an 8 seed caliber first round team). It doesn't change the fact that the West was weak last year, with Memphis in disarray by playoff time as the 2 seed and Sacramento being an overachieving 3 seed that nobody took seriously. The kings were the same team this year, won 2 fewer games and missed the playoffs completely.
If you two were that impressed by the path they took, can't acknowledge how weak the West was last year (described above) comparative to a normal year (such as this year, OKC, Minnesota and Dallas are all better than any team outside of Denver from last season, but are certainty not historical juggernauts), then live your dream. But this year really put it in prospective for you with Denver losing in the second round vs. their first real test. There are many teams since 2000, who didn't win a title in their respective seasons, who could've beat that same path Denver did last season.
