The Denver Nuggets took over after the All-Star break.
They remain a perfect 6-0 since the mid-February break, winning 5 of their 6 games by double digits. Denver is one of three undefeated teams in this streak alongside the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks. They have a top 3 offense in their last 6 games as well as a top 7 defense. They’re just locked in at the right time of the season,”times of crisis” as Aaron Gordon said, on the eve of the playoffs.
“We’re building championship habits, for sure. Really focused offensively and defensively. I feel like for the most part we’ve been pretty locked in,” Michael Porter Jr. said after Monday’s practice. “I think we’re doing what we need to do.”
This has not been an easy task for Denver. Four of their six wins came against teams above .500: the four-time champion Golden State Warriors, the six-seeded Sacramento Kings and two teams they played against in last year’s playoffs. On Thursday, they beat the Miami HEAT in an NBA Finals rematch, then on Saturday, Denver won their eighth straight game against the Los Angeles Lakers, who they beat in the Conference Finals West 2023.
This last victory was particularly impressive. They used a huge 16-4 run in the final five minutes to win by double digits against the Lakers. Besides, it was nothing extraordinary. Denver has the best “clutch” net rating in the NBA, winning those minutes with 24.9 points per 100 possessions. They have won 20 of their 30 games separated by 5 points or less in the final 5 minutes, otherwise known as “the clutch.” They became demons in times of crisis.
“The main thing is that the guys are really comfortable and don’t let themselves be shaken,”
Justin Holiday said of Denver’s late game success. “When crunch time comes, everyone else sees the pressure, but for us, we’re just playing basketball. We’re going to finish it. We know what to do, and we’re there. That’s what wins a game championship, yes. It gives you a certain confidence to be able to take care of these big moments.
Head coach Michael Malone echoed Holiday’s last point, saying winning a championship last season only added to the team’s abundant confidence.
“There’s no doubt now. I mean, you can say, yeah, we want to win a championship, or this team is a championship contender. Well, we’ve proven we’re a team that can go there and win 16 playoff games and win a championship,” Malone said. “I think for all of our guys, especially the five guys that started last year and Christian [Braun], who was here last year and made the playoffs, they have confidence because they’ve been there and done that. And I think with this group, no matter what, there’s no fear. I think we all believe we can walk into any NBA building and beat anyone on any night.”
Holiday spent his second season in the NBA with the championship-winning 2014-15 Golden State Warriors team. He told reporters that having a very good chance of winning an NBA championship was one of the main reasons he chose to sign with Denver during the offseason.
“That’s what I came here for. To be able to be a part of it and feel that intensity again. I did it once with the Warriors. I know what it’s like when it’s time to really get busy business,” Holiday said. said Wednesday. “Being able to be a part of this, man, is really rewarding. Really exciting. It makes me believe in the NBA again, if that makes sense. There’s a lot of teams that just don’t have that edge. teams can’t do that. So to be able to be a part of that intensity, just turn it on and be ready to go, that’s something that’s exciting for me.”
Holiday has been a revelation for the Nuggets this season. Although he is not a regular player whose minutes vary from month to month, he has found a way to put up a 40.7% three-point shooting season while playing superior defense at average. It followed one of his finest performances of the year: a 13-point outing against the Lakers in which Holiday made 3 of 5 three-pointers and closed out the game alongside Denver’s starters .
“He’s a veteran and he’s proven himself to be trustworthy,” Malone said. “In a short period of time he showed that he can go out on the field and do his job at a high level, do it efficiently and that you can trust him on both ends. You don’t have to tell him to do things. . He’s a veteran, he knows how to do things, whether offensively or defensively. I trust Justin Holiday. He’s a veteran and every time he’s on that floor it seems like something good is happening.”
The key to Denver’s success is its culture. The guys play for each other. They want to see themselves prosper. It’s what has guided them through the last 12 months (and beyond) of the best basketball in franchise history.
“It takes connectivity. Guys are together. That means celebrating someone else’s play. So when Jamal [Murray] hits Nikola [Jokić], and Nikola hits Aaron for an and-one dunk at the end of the game, that’s cause for celebration,” Malone said. “I’d like to think we’re still a connected team. We play for each other. We understand that we all need the next man up next to us if we want to do what we’re all trying to do, which is win another championship. »
That certainly impressed veteran Holiday, who has been in 10 different locker rooms during his long career.
“The culture here and the character of the guys. How they work. How they care about each other and trust each other. It makes me feel like part of the family even though I’ve just been here. what however many months,” Holiday said. “I can see how and why they won a championship.”
