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Former NBA All-Star Offers Hot Take Why Nuggets Are Struggling This Season

Courtney Tate

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The Denver Nuggets are coming off another nail-biting, close all-the-way-down-the-stretch matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, and fans are starting to question if this is still a championship-contending team.

Despite three-time MVP Nikola Jokić having another incredible season, the Nuggets have faced several challenges this season that have fans doubtful for a return back to the NBA Finals.

One fan in particular, who also just so happens to be a three-time NBA All-Star himself, Gilbert Arenas took a strong stance when asked on his podcast Gil’s Arena if the Nuggets championship window is still open.

“What Denver is doing didn’t look good…it don’t look good anymore,” Arenas exclaimed. “Everybody got paid, and everybody became the fat cat…and that’s how it looks right…they’re not clicking.”

Arenas goes on to discuss the impact Jokić has on the team’s success.

“It seems like the year’s he’s getting closer to the triple-double, they’re winning less.”

It’s no secret that Jokić is playing very good basketball this season. He’s nearly averaging a triple-double, and thirty-point performances seem to be the status quo. He’s also achieving a career-high Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 28.25, the highest in NBA history.

Jokić is easily emerging as the clear front-runner for yet another NBA MVP title, marking his fourth season earning this title. The only question now though is, why isn’t Jokić’s success translating to wins for the Denver Nuggets?

Currently, the Nuggets are 14-11 and sit in sixth place in the Western Conference. While they’re still in the running to make the playoffs, Denver needs to immediately address some of the challenges they’re facing before entering the second half of the season.

There are several factors that contribute to some of the lackluster play by the Nuggets. For starters, the Nuggets offensive efficiency significantly decreases when Jokić is off the floor. Denver needs more consistent contribution from the team’s supporting cast in order to keep the game under control.

There have been several instances so far this season where Denver blew a large lead, allowing teams to expose problem areas in the team’s defense as well as shooting production while Jokić is on the bench.

Injuries have also been an issue for the Nuggets this season, as starting point guard Jamal Murray has been managing a leg injury, putting pressure on Jokić to carry a larger load. This was especially evident in the several games Murray missed due to right hamstring inflammation.

Denver has time to turn things around, but it’s going to take a collective effort from the entire time to make it happen.

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Courtney Tate
COURTNEY TATE

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