Officially listed as questionable, Gordon told The Denver Post that he feels ready to play in Monday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets. He has so far missed two games as a result of his injuries.

“I love dogs. I grew up with dogs my whole life,” Gordon told the local newspaper. “But because we’re on the road so much, my dad’s taking care of him, so I can’t really train him how I need him to be. … But I feel good. Everything is fine.”

Gordon is averaging 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Nuggets, scoring 16 points and making 10 rebounds during their 120-114 Christmas Day win over the Golden State Nuggets.

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While Miami managed to put up enough resistance to make things interesting, Denver once again showed that they are a better and more talented team. They overcame a seven-point deficit at the half and then survived a late Heat comeback in the fourth quarter to deservingly be crowned the NBA champions for the 2022-23 NBA season.

The Nuggets were led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who once again put up a masterful performance that saw him score a game-leading 28 points to go with 16 rebounds and four assists. His fellow All-Star Jamal Murray struggled with shooting, hitting 6-15 from the field, but still managed to affect the game with his playmaking by dishing eight assists. Michael Porter Jr. pitched in with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Jokic, who was by far the best player in the NBA Finals and this year’s playoffs, was named NBA Finals MVP and received the Larry O’Brien trophy.

After finishing first in the Western Conference, Denver strolled through the postseason. They needed five games to close out the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round and then beat the star-studded Phoenix Suns in six games in the semis.

Nuggets’ Conference Finals clash against the LA Lakers was easier than expected, as they swept LeBron James and co. Finally, the Heat did their best to make their life hard in the NBA Finals, but their best simply wasn’t enough.

Now, the Nuggets will enjoy their celebration and rest before trying to do it all over again next season.

“We clearly can do it,” Murray told the reports. “So let’s do it again.”

The post Denver Nuggets Crowned NBA Champions After Beating the Heat in Game 5 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

As part of the trade, the Nuggets will send a protected first-round pick in 2029 to OKC. In exchange, they are receiving the 37th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Thunder’s less-favorable first-round selection in 2024, and a 2024 second-rounder.

The Thunder could have four first-round picks in the 2024 Draft, including their own, top 4-protected from Houston Rockets, unprotected from the LA Clippers, and top 10-protected from the Utah Jazz. 

Denver’s motivation for the trade is clear. They are trying to get some draft assets that they can use to add young players on cheap contracts or use in trades. Nuggets’ championship is wide open and is expected to remain so in the next few years, so general manager Calvin Booth wants to maximize his team’s opportunities.

OKC, on the other hand, hopes that the Nuggets will fall off a cliff towards the end of the decade, giving them a valuable selection. OKC already owns Denver’s Top-5 protected first-round pick in 2027, which they received as part of the JaMychal Green trade. They currently have 15 first-round picks, including their own and those acquired in trades, through 2029.

The post Nuggets and OKC Swap Picks in a Rare NBA Finals Trade appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This will be the first trip to the NBA Finals for the Nuggets. They previously lost four Western Conference Finals series, with three of those losses coming against the Lakers.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists triple-double. This was Jokic’s eighth triple-double in the 2023 NBA Playoffs which is the most by any player in a single postseason run in NBA history. The 28-year-old Serbian ended up receiving the Western Conference Finals MVP award, named after Lakers’ legend Magic Johnson, for his stellar performance.

Entering Game 4 with their backs against the wall, the Lakers actually looked like they could extend the series. They led by 15 points at the half and were the better team throughout the first two quarters.

However, the Lakers collapsed in the third quarter, losing their entire lead, and found themselves trailing five points ahead of the final period. The LA team made one final push to stay alive but couldn’t find enough offense to turn things around.

The Lakers’ superstar LeBron James had a chance to send the game to overtime in the final seconds but had his shot blocked.

The Denver Nuggets will now get some well-deserved rest while they await to see who will come out from the East. The Miami Heat currently hold a 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in Eastern Conference Finals.

The post Nuggets Sweep the Lakers, Advance to the NBA Finals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Despite playing a must win-game, the Suns couldn’t keep up with the Nuggets without their two key players in Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul. Denver, on the other hand, managed to set the tone with a 44-26 first-quarter lead and spent the rest of the game keeping their opponents at bay.

Nikola Jokic produced another impressive performance for the Nuggets, finishing the game with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. Jamal Murray had 26 points and four assists, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 21 points and five rebounds.

“When we defend, when we rebound, when we run, when we share the ball, we believe we’re the best team in the NBA,” said the Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone after the game. “And tonight, we showed it.”

The Nuggets have now got their revenge over the Suns, who swept them in the semifinals during the 2020–21. And they will get an opportunity to continue their revenge campaign in the Western Conference Finals regardless of whether the Los Angeles Lakers or the Golden State Warriors go through.

The Lakers knocked out the Nuggets in the West finals during 2019–20, while the Warriors beat them in the first round of last year’s playoffs.

The post Nuggets Clinch the West Finals Spot After Blowout Win Over the Suns in Game 6 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The game was much more closely contested than the result indicates. The Suns actually entered the final period with a three-point lead but ended up falling apart when it mattered the most, being unable to find an answer for the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

Jokic delivered a huge performance for the Nuggets, finishing the night with 39 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists. And Denver needed all of it, considering that his teammates struggled to get going and only three had double digits in scoring.

“Man, no hesitation from him,” said Jamal Murray, who was 3-of-15 from the floor and missed all of his nine three-point attempts. “Just dominating down low and from 3, both ways. Staying aggressive all game, uplifting us during timeouts, just full belief in us the whole time while he’s taking over and picking up everybody’s slack.”

With two wins on their home court, the Nuggets now seem like they are in control of the series. The Suns showed the same growing pains that hampered them in the first round against the LA Clippers and will have to dig deep in order to turn things around. 

The series resumes on Friday with Game 3 in Phoenix’s Footprint Center.

The post Nuggets Beat the Suns 97-87 in Game 2 of the West Semi-Finals, Take a 2-0 Lead appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Originally listed as doubtful, Jokic was omitted from the Nuggets’ lineup just an hour before tipoff. This comes after Nuggets coach Michael Malone stated during a pregame news conference that, “if there was any doubt, we will err on the side of caution with seven games left.”

Jokic’s absence from the team is a cause for concern for the Nuggets. Having gone 51-25 for the season, Denver is 3-6 without Jokic on the team.

The Nuggets will be hopeful for a quick recovery for Jokic as they gear up for three road games against Houston, Phoenix, and Utah respectively before returning home to wrap up the season in back-to-back games against the Sacramento Kings.

The post Nikola Jokic Sidelined In Nuggets Loss To Pelicans appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This new deal will keep Jokic in Denver through the 2027-28 season, and it’s quite historic. If the reports are to be believed, he could make roughly $60 million a year after signing this deal – and he’s worth every penny.

The Serbian player went from no. 41 draft pick to the two-time MVP and helped the Nuggets reach elite status under his wing. Since joining the team in 2015, he became the first player in Denver’s history to earn All-NBA team honors in four straight seasons and to have three career first-team selections.

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the richest deal in NBA history, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fifth season (2027-28) will be a player option at $60M.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Earlier this year, Jokic defeated Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo to take his second consecutive MVP award, becoming only the second European player to win it more than once. He stayed incredibly humble about his achievement, saying it “doesn’t mean anything special” and that he’s just trying to compete and win games.

Jokic averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game last season, and became the first NBA player to ever reach at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists in a single season.

The post Nikola Jokic Signs Record-Breaking Five-Year Supermax Extension with Denver Nuggets appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The terms of the extension have not been disclosed, but Nuggets beat writer Mike Singer reports that Malone’s contract is now running through the 2024-25 season. He had one year left on his previous contract.

Malone is being rewarded for an impressive run the Nuggets had in recent years. They made the Conference semifinals in all of the past three seasons after a five-season drought. This included reaching the Conference Finals in 2019-20 when they lost the champions Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite having multiple impactful players on the sidelines, the Nuggets are also playing well this season. Their All-Star guard Jamal Murray is out for quite some time with a torn ACL, while their talented forward Michael Porter Jr. is out for the season with a back injury. Denver is currently sixth in the Western Conference with a 43-30 record.

Michael Malone served as an assistant for several NBA franchises, including the New York Knicks and the Golden State Warriors, before landing a head coaching job with the Sacramento Kings in 2014. He was fired by the Kings midways through his second season with the franchise but quickly bounced back to take the job with the Nuggets ahead of the 2015-16 season. Malone has a head coaching record of 305 wins and 274 losses. He is 20-23 in the playoffs.

The post Nuggets Award Head Coach Michael Malone a Multi-Year Contract Extension appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Prior to becoming a free agent, the 31-year-old Cousins played for the Milwaukee Bucks earlier on this season. During his final game for the Bucks on January 6, Cousins scored 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals, bringing his overall average for the team to 9.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in 17 games. Ultimately, Milwaukee decided not to guarantee Cousins’ contract for the remainder of the season.

Despite the decision to not keep Cousins on at the Bucks, Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst expressed his gratitude to the player, stating: “We wouldn’t have been able to get through this difficult stretch of the season as successfully as we did without DeMarcus.At the end of the day, we made a strategic decision to have an open roster spot, but there’s nothing that would prevent us from partnering with DeMarcus again down the road.”

The post DeMarcus Cousins And Denver Nuggets Agree To 10-Day Contract appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Officially listed as questionable, Gordon told The Denver Post that he feels ready to play in Monday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets. He has so far missed two games as a result of his injuries.

“I love dogs. I grew up with dogs my whole life,” Gordon told the local newspaper. “But because we’re on the road so much, my dad’s taking care of him, so I can’t really train him how I need him to be. … But I feel good. Everything is fine.”

Gordon is averaging 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Nuggets, scoring 16 points and making 10 rebounds during their 120-114 Christmas Day win over the Golden State Nuggets.

The post Denver Nuggets’ Aaron Gordon Could Return to Practice on Monday appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

While Miami managed to put up enough resistance to make things interesting, Denver once again showed that they are a better and more talented team. They overcame a seven-point deficit at the half and then survived a late Heat comeback in the fourth quarter to deservingly be crowned the NBA champions for the 2022-23 NBA season.

The Nuggets were led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who once again put up a masterful performance that saw him score a game-leading 28 points to go with 16 rebounds and four assists. His fellow All-Star Jamal Murray struggled with shooting, hitting 6-15 from the field, but still managed to affect the game with his playmaking by dishing eight assists. Michael Porter Jr. pitched in with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Jokic, who was by far the best player in the NBA Finals and this year’s playoffs, was named NBA Finals MVP and received the Larry O’Brien trophy.

After finishing first in the Western Conference, Denver strolled through the postseason. They needed five games to close out the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round and then beat the star-studded Phoenix Suns in six games in the semis.

Nuggets’ Conference Finals clash against the LA Lakers was easier than expected, as they swept LeBron James and co. Finally, the Heat did their best to make their life hard in the NBA Finals, but their best simply wasn’t enough.

Now, the Nuggets will enjoy their celebration and rest before trying to do it all over again next season.

“We clearly can do it,” Murray told the reports. “So let’s do it again.”

The post Denver Nuggets Crowned NBA Champions After Beating the Heat in Game 5 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

As part of the trade, the Nuggets will send a protected first-round pick in 2029 to OKC. In exchange, they are receiving the 37th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Thunder’s less-favorable first-round selection in 2024, and a 2024 second-rounder.

The Thunder could have four first-round picks in the 2024 Draft, including their own, top 4-protected from Houston Rockets, unprotected from the LA Clippers, and top 10-protected from the Utah Jazz. 

Denver’s motivation for the trade is clear. They are trying to get some draft assets that they can use to add young players on cheap contracts or use in trades. Nuggets’ championship is wide open and is expected to remain so in the next few years, so general manager Calvin Booth wants to maximize his team’s opportunities.

OKC, on the other hand, hopes that the Nuggets will fall off a cliff towards the end of the decade, giving them a valuable selection. OKC already owns Denver’s Top-5 protected first-round pick in 2027, which they received as part of the JaMychal Green trade. They currently have 15 first-round picks, including their own and those acquired in trades, through 2029.

The post Nuggets and OKC Swap Picks in a Rare NBA Finals Trade appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This will be the first trip to the NBA Finals for the Nuggets. They previously lost four Western Conference Finals series, with three of those losses coming against the Lakers.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists triple-double. This was Jokic’s eighth triple-double in the 2023 NBA Playoffs which is the most by any player in a single postseason run in NBA history. The 28-year-old Serbian ended up receiving the Western Conference Finals MVP award, named after Lakers’ legend Magic Johnson, for his stellar performance.

Entering Game 4 with their backs against the wall, the Lakers actually looked like they could extend the series. They led by 15 points at the half and were the better team throughout the first two quarters.

However, the Lakers collapsed in the third quarter, losing their entire lead, and found themselves trailing five points ahead of the final period. The LA team made one final push to stay alive but couldn’t find enough offense to turn things around.

The Lakers’ superstar LeBron James had a chance to send the game to overtime in the final seconds but had his shot blocked.

The Denver Nuggets will now get some well-deserved rest while they await to see who will come out from the East. The Miami Heat currently hold a 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in Eastern Conference Finals.

The post Nuggets Sweep the Lakers, Advance to the NBA Finals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Despite playing a must win-game, the Suns couldn’t keep up with the Nuggets without their two key players in Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul. Denver, on the other hand, managed to set the tone with a 44-26 first-quarter lead and spent the rest of the game keeping their opponents at bay.

Nikola Jokic produced another impressive performance for the Nuggets, finishing the game with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. Jamal Murray had 26 points and four assists, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 21 points and five rebounds.

“When we defend, when we rebound, when we run, when we share the ball, we believe we’re the best team in the NBA,” said the Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone after the game. “And tonight, we showed it.”

The Nuggets have now got their revenge over the Suns, who swept them in the semifinals during the 2020–21. And they will get an opportunity to continue their revenge campaign in the Western Conference Finals regardless of whether the Los Angeles Lakers or the Golden State Warriors go through.

The Lakers knocked out the Nuggets in the West finals during 2019–20, while the Warriors beat them in the first round of last year’s playoffs.

The post Nuggets Clinch the West Finals Spot After Blowout Win Over the Suns in Game 6 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The game was much more closely contested than the result indicates. The Suns actually entered the final period with a three-point lead but ended up falling apart when it mattered the most, being unable to find an answer for the reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

Jokic delivered a huge performance for the Nuggets, finishing the night with 39 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists. And Denver needed all of it, considering that his teammates struggled to get going and only three had double digits in scoring.

“Man, no hesitation from him,” said Jamal Murray, who was 3-of-15 from the floor and missed all of his nine three-point attempts. “Just dominating down low and from 3, both ways. Staying aggressive all game, uplifting us during timeouts, just full belief in us the whole time while he’s taking over and picking up everybody’s slack.”

With two wins on their home court, the Nuggets now seem like they are in control of the series. The Suns showed the same growing pains that hampered them in the first round against the LA Clippers and will have to dig deep in order to turn things around. 

The series resumes on Friday with Game 3 in Phoenix’s Footprint Center.

The post Nuggets Beat the Suns 97-87 in Game 2 of the West Semi-Finals, Take a 2-0 Lead appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Originally listed as doubtful, Jokic was omitted from the Nuggets’ lineup just an hour before tipoff. This comes after Nuggets coach Michael Malone stated during a pregame news conference that, “if there was any doubt, we will err on the side of caution with seven games left.”

Jokic’s absence from the team is a cause for concern for the Nuggets. Having gone 51-25 for the season, Denver is 3-6 without Jokic on the team.

The Nuggets will be hopeful for a quick recovery for Jokic as they gear up for three road games against Houston, Phoenix, and Utah respectively before returning home to wrap up the season in back-to-back games against the Sacramento Kings.

The post Nikola Jokic Sidelined In Nuggets Loss To Pelicans appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This new deal will keep Jokic in Denver through the 2027-28 season, and it’s quite historic. If the reports are to be believed, he could make roughly $60 million a year after signing this deal – and he’s worth every penny.

The Serbian player went from no. 41 draft pick to the two-time MVP and helped the Nuggets reach elite status under his wing. Since joining the team in 2015, he became the first player in Denver’s history to earn All-NBA team honors in four straight seasons and to have three career first-team selections.

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the richest deal in NBA history, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fifth season (2027-28) will be a player option at $60M.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022

Earlier this year, Jokic defeated Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo to take his second consecutive MVP award, becoming only the second European player to win it more than once. He stayed incredibly humble about his achievement, saying it “doesn’t mean anything special” and that he’s just trying to compete and win games.

Jokic averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game last season, and became the first NBA player to ever reach at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists in a single season.

The post Nikola Jokic Signs Record-Breaking Five-Year Supermax Extension with Denver Nuggets appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The terms of the extension have not been disclosed, but Nuggets beat writer Mike Singer reports that Malone’s contract is now running through the 2024-25 season. He had one year left on his previous contract.

Malone is being rewarded for an impressive run the Nuggets had in recent years. They made the Conference semifinals in all of the past three seasons after a five-season drought. This included reaching the Conference Finals in 2019-20 when they lost the champions Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite having multiple impactful players on the sidelines, the Nuggets are also playing well this season. Their All-Star guard Jamal Murray is out for quite some time with a torn ACL, while their talented forward Michael Porter Jr. is out for the season with a back injury. Denver is currently sixth in the Western Conference with a 43-30 record.

Michael Malone served as an assistant for several NBA franchises, including the New York Knicks and the Golden State Warriors, before landing a head coaching job with the Sacramento Kings in 2014. He was fired by the Kings midways through his second season with the franchise but quickly bounced back to take the job with the Nuggets ahead of the 2015-16 season. Malone has a head coaching record of 305 wins and 274 losses. He is 20-23 in the playoffs.

The post Nuggets Award Head Coach Michael Malone a Multi-Year Contract Extension appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Prior to becoming a free agent, the 31-year-old Cousins played for the Milwaukee Bucks earlier on this season. During his final game for the Bucks on January 6, Cousins scored 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 steals, bringing his overall average for the team to 9.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in 17 games. Ultimately, Milwaukee decided not to guarantee Cousins’ contract for the remainder of the season.

Despite the decision to not keep Cousins on at the Bucks, Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst expressed his gratitude to the player, stating: “We wouldn’t have been able to get through this difficult stretch of the season as successfully as we did without DeMarcus.At the end of the day, we made a strategic decision to have an open roster spot, but there’s nothing that would prevent us from partnering with DeMarcus again down the road.”

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