Stephen A. Smith didn’t mince his phrases when speaking concerning the Nuggets after their season-opening 102-87 loss to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. From Friday’s Version of ESPN First takeSmith’s evaluation The crew’s outlook this season after the loss is easy: They appear previous.
“Denver seemed previous. Now, they don’t seem to be previous, however towards Oklahoma Metropolis, they give the impression of being previous and I fear about them. As a result of we all know the mix of Jokic and Murray and what they bring about, how extraordinary they’re. However I have a look at Murray and I search for him. I am excited to see Russell Westbrook on this crew, however you realize what? Towards a younger crew like Oklahoma Metropolis with Chet Holmgren, who we might be speaking about extra with out Victor Wembanyama,” Smith mentioned earlier than praising Holmgren and the brand new low season additions to the Thunder roster.
In NBA years, Denver is an older crew. Nikola Jokić, three-time NBA MVP, ought to flip 30 in February and the founding components of the Nuggets, Jamal Murray (27 years previous) and Aaron Gordon (29 years previous), usually are not getting any youthful both. Add in the truth that the crew changed 31-year-old Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with 35-year-old Russell Westbrook, and one can see how Smith would come to the conclusion that Denver is getting older and might’t sustain with a younger. Thunder crew with immense depth and expertise.
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The true check of Denver’s willingness as a contender will depend on if Jokić can have one other MVP-worthy season and if their championship-winning core can step up their sport in a Western Convention that is loaded with expertise. Although their opening sport towards final 12 months’s high seed within the Western Convention did not go as deliberate, they nonetheless have loads of alternatives to get into rhythm and develop into one of many predominant contenders within the league.
The Nuggets host the Clippers on Saturday at 5 p.m. EST. The sport might be broadcast nationally on NBA TV.
Randall Barnes is the HBCU (Traditionally Black School or College) Content material Supervisor at ClutchPoints and founding father of HBCU Pulse, a multimedia outlet whose mission is to inform the genuine tales of HBCU Life via conventional, digital and social media.
