What are the expectations for the Denver Nuggets for this next season? | Denver Sports Daily

What are the expectations for the Denver Nuggets for this next season? | Denver Sports Daily

What are the expectations for the Denver Nuggets heading into this season? This is your Denver Sports Daily for July 31st. The biggest stories The latest news, it’s Denver Sports Daily. We all remember how it went down for the Denver Nuggets this past season, losing in game seven of the second round. A year after losing in game seven of the second round. That’s two years in a row. First year in 2024, it was against the Minnesota Timberwolves. And then the year after, of course, the OKC Thunder. both of them. The Nuggets had 10 plus point leads in and just terrible uh execution from the Nuggets in in the late quarters. Uh they really fell apart and it was very evident back in 2024 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. You had a 20point lead at the in the second half of the game and he ended up losing. And then against the OKC Thunder, you jump out to an early 10-point lead and then end up just getting demolished later in the game. Despite that though, the Nuggets have high expectations this season. be by other people. ESPN ranked the midsummer uh power rankings. They had their midsummer power rankings come out and the Nuggets came in third place behind the OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets. Behind the Nuggets was the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks. So, the top three teams, what’s interesting about that, the top three teams are all Western Conference teams. The West is going to be tough this season. And not only that, but the OKC Thunder and Denver Nuggets are in the same division. So, you’ve got two of the top three teams in the same division. And then top three, all three of the top three are in the Western Conference. It’s going to be a tough battle for the Denver Nuggets in this conference this year. Now, despite that though, despite how tough it’s going to be, the Nuggets have cleared the air. You know, there there was a lot of uh uncertainty last season, especially around the head coach and the front office because we all know that three games before the season ended, the Nuggets head coach, Mike Malone, was fired alongside Calvin Booth, the front office, the GM, both fired. So now they’ve got David Ottoman as their head coach. That that’s clear. He brought the best team, the championship winning team, the OKC Thunder, to game seven. It was great what David Alamman did. And of course, he should be the dad coach. And then you get the front office and Ben Tenzer and John Wallace who are splitting a unconventional kind of GM role. And then not only that, but they made a splash in free agency trading MPJ for Cam Johnson right away. Later they traded Dario Sarich for Yonas Valenunis. And there was a whole problem with that about him maybe going to play in Greece, but he ended up confirming that he will be a Denver Nugget next season. And then on top of those two trades, you signed Bruce Brown and you signed Tim Hardaway Jr. and now you also have Don Holmes back. This team has grown so much this off season. The expectation should be championship. I mean, you got you got a championship already. 2023, why can’t you go out and do it again? The window is as wide open as it’s ever been. And I I really do believe that this is a better built team than the 2023 championship squad. I mean, the main pieces of that team that aren’t on this team are uh KCP and Reggie Jackson. Those guys aren’t here, but you got Bruce Brown back. You got Jonas Valentunis, a true backup center. You got Cam Johnson, a more reliable 3 and D wing uh than Michael Porter Jr. And maybe 3 and D isn’t the right way to say it, but a three-point shooter, a spot-up shooter like Cam Johnson, is much more efficient than Michael Porter Jr. And then you got Tim Hardaway Jr., who’s also a great three-point shooter, kind of plays a very similar role to KCP, and they got Don Holmes, you got your rookie. This is a well-built squad, and if they go out there and compete at the level of intensity that they were able to compete at against the OKC Thunder, they will be able to beat them this year. It’s a great team this season, and they deserve that top three in the power rankings. Now, moving on, Bonix told NFL Network that expectations are higher for this season, and of course, they are. Now, Bick has joined Ian Rapaort and Colleen Wolf to talk about the expectations for this team and and where they’re looking heading into this next season. Now, Bo has high hopes for this team, saying, quote, “The expectations are definitely higher, but we like that. That means you’re a good football team. That means you have something to play for. We’ve put together a really good football team. We’ve added some pieces on both sides of the football. We really feel like in all three phases of the game, we got better this off season.” And I couldn’t have said it any better myself. They’ve gotten so much better. You know, you look at the improvements that they’ve made. They’ve improved tenfold. You know, some of the big names that the Broncos have added this off seasonason are Dre Green Law, Talonu Fonga, Evan Ingram, JK Dobbins. And then you got the rookies, John A Baron, and R.J. Harvey. That’s a great squad no matter what. I mean, those ju just just those additions. And then you’re talking about just the defensive additions. Drelaw, Taleno Huanga, and then John A. Baron. Those guys added to what was already arguably the best defense in the league last season. I would be terrified. I couldn’t go to sleep if I was an opposing quarterback. If I was a quarterback and I was playing the Broncos ne this season, I would be terrified to go up against this this whole entire unit. And then you look at the offense, you got two running backs now and JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey. And then you got a real actual tight end, somebody who actually knows how to play the position. Yeah, they’re going to be good. expectations are high. I mean, the expectation could be Super Bowl for this team. And I’ve been open about that. I’ve said I really do believe that this team could win a Super Bowl this season. Now, it’ll be hard. I’m not saying that it’s going to happen. I’m not saying that they’re the favorite to win it, but they could. You look around the AFC, there’s only a few teams that could really compete against them. you know, the Buffalo Bills, maybe the Kansas City Chiefs, but there there’s a few more, but really the Broncos, all that they have standing in their way is their youth. Give them a few more years. Let him go to the playoffs again. Bonix has that taste of blood in his mouth. He smelled blood in the water. He knows that he can go to the playoffs and now he knows he can win in the playoffs. It’ll definitely be fun to see where the Broncos end up this season. Now, moving on. I talked about this a couple days ago about Pat Certan and Madden. And if you don’t really know what the 99 club is, it is the best of the best. The players who make the 99 club are are few. Uh, and it’s basically, you know, you’re ranked in 99. You’re you’re the highest grade you can get in Madden. And you’d think that Pat Sertan should have made the list, but he didn’t. Now, Madden released their players who made the 99 club. And again, Patrick Certan did not make the list, but the players who did end up making it were Saquon Barkley, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Lane Johnson, Jamar Chase, Justin Jefferson, and the only defensive player, Miles Garrett. So, how does Miles Garrett make it above the defensive player of the year? Make that make sense? It doesn’t. It doesn’t make sense. And I said it a couple shows ago that if you win one of those awards, the MVP, offensive player of the year, uh, defensive player of the year, you should be in the 99 club no matter what. I mean, the MVP and the OPI both made it. Josh Allen and uh, uh, Saquon Barkley, they both made it. Why Why doesn’t Patrick Certan make it? What did Miles Garrett do last season better than Patrick Certan? He wasn’t a DPOI. Miles Garrett had a great season. He’s a great player, but is he better than Patrick Certan? I mean, they’re two different positions. It’s hard to kind of tell, but you shouldn’t have made it into the 99 club over Patrick Zertan. And Certan let Madden know just how he feels, saying, quote, I just feel like what else do I have to do at this point? But it adds a little bit more motivation and a chip to my shoulder. Madden, I’m coming after you. Wow. Hey, pass. Let him know how he feels. Throwing some shade at Madden. Hey, I’m coming after you. I got a chip on my shoulder now. Let me show you why I should be in the 99 club. Another DPO year coming for Patrick Zertan. I would not be surprised. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Patrick Zertan goes out there and wins the defensive player year for the second consecutive year in a row. But that does it for Denver Sports Daily. I’ll be back with you guys again tomorrow. Of course, training camp, more interviews coming out, more players talking about what they’re seeing from this team this season. It’s it’s the best time of year really. I mean, what more can you ask for? Football is right around the corner. In fact, the Hall of Fame game, I believe, is tonight. I I don’t know if I’m right on that, but I believe that the Hall of Fame game is tonight. But that’ll do it for Denver Sports Daily. I will see you all tomorrow. Until then, y’all have a great rest of your day. Bye y’all.

The Nuggets were placed in the top three for the mid-summer power rankings, Bo Nix told NFL Network that expectations are higher this season, and Patrick Surtain threw some shade at Madden! This is your Denver Sports Daily for July 31st!

📩 Stay up to date with all Denver sports and get the best coverage here: https://denversports.com/

🏆 Sign up for the FREE Denver Sports Daily Newsletter here: https://denversports.com/daily/#/

#DenverSports #DenverSportsDaily #Denver #Broncos #Nuggets #Avalanche

Topics: Denver Sports Daily, Denver Sports, Denver Broncos, Broncos, NFL, Bo Nix, Sean Payton, Patrick Surtain, Denver Nuggets, Nuggets, NBA, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Colorado Avalanche, Avalanche, Nathan Mackinnon, Gabe Landeskog, NHL