My feelings about this series before it started haven't changed at all after Game 1. I knew the Warriors are a vastly superior team. Denver shouldn't even be wasting their time in the Playoffs, which I guess is a testament to just how great Jokic actually is.
DENVER NUGGETS
This team has like the worst injury issues in the league.
STARTING 5 MAKEUP
PG-SG-SF-PF-PC (PointGuard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward, Power Forward, PointCenter)
The Nuggets look like a traditional lineup, until you get up to the center position. People are calling Jokic the best passer in the NBA, and he's like a 7-footer. Ideally, he'd be surrounded by players that complement his attributes. But instead, the Nuggets have a traditional lineup.
BIGGEST STRENGTH
Jokic.
BIGGEST WEAKNESS
Jamal Murray is the second best player on this roster, and Michael Porter arguably the third. If you take any squad in the NBA and remove two of their three best players, no one would realistically expect the team to accomplish anything significant. And so it is with the Nuggets, even if they do have the reigning MVP.
X-FACTOR
The one active player on the Nuggets roster who I do think perhaps complements Jokic best is Jeff Green.
KARMA ASSESSMENT
A couple of weeks back I was peeping a Nuggets game, and there was like little joy on this team. It was clear, as least to me, that some of the key players may have issues with Nikola, and vice versa. And that kinda stuff is never good if you want to go deep into the playoffs.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
The Warriors are my sentimental favorite to win the Championship. That doesn't mean I actually think they'll win, but if there's any team capable of NBA magic, everyone knows that it's the Splash Brothers (incl. Poole) + Draymond.
STARTING 5 MAKEUP
2G-SG-SF-PtF-C (2Guard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward, PointForward, Center)
It's Draymond's versatility and preference to pass that really makes a lineup like this work.
BIGGEST STRENGTH
Depth. Back in the old (non-KD) days, if Steph or Klay had a bad game then the other would have to carry the offense. Now they have a sidekick in Jordan Poole who at this point is better than Steph. The Warriors also have more quality forwards than perhaps any team in the league.
BIGGEST WEAKNESS
Lack of interior defensive presence. That may not matter to the Warriors so much now with the Nuggets, but it may bite them in the ass later if they advance. But they do have some potential options to mitigate that issue. And even though I, as with many others, may have been disappointed that Kuminga didn't get any burn in Game 1, I'm slowly but surely learning to trust the wisdom of Steve "Doogie" Kerr.
X-FACTOR
The deadass Glove was sitting near courtside in Game 1 - naked head, gray hair and all. And he had this look on his face like if a Nuggets player was driving to the basket and momentarily glanced in his direction, they'd probably miss the layup.
KARMA ASSESSMENT
At the beginning of the season, a lot of people were thinking that the Splash Bros. + Draymond were washed. But true dynasties are multi-generational. And just when they needed it most, now they probably have more backup than ever.
CONCLUSION
Jamal Murray was ridiculously hot in the bubble, and Michael Porter, if he were healthy, I believe could one day be a MVP-level player. But if I'm tired of waiting for these dudes to heal, then I can imagine how frustrating it must be on actual Nuggets fans. MVPs are players that you can build an entire team around. So maybe it's time for Denver to truly take that approach with Jokic instead of holding on to aspects of the past.
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