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.

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.

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.

Never in the history had a longer game been played in the history of the league’s playoffs, an exceptional mark considering the many years during which the NBA has been around.

Portland took home a 140-137 win in a game that was dramatic until the last second.

The Blazers took a 138-136 lead after a Rodney Hood three-pointer with 18 seconds left. However, Portland fouled Denver forward Nikola Jokic in the waning seconds.

The Nuggets’ big man went to the line with a chance to tie the game and made the first shot. However, he missed the second free throw and Portland held a 138-137 lead.

Seth Curry was then fouled and buried two free throws to seal Portland’s dramatic win after sixty-eight minutes of game time.

CJ McCollum led Portland with 41 points, and Damian Lillard also chipped in 28.

Despite missing late free throws, Jokic had a monster game for Denver, scoring 33 points, gathering 18 rebounds, and dishing out 14 assists.

Game 4 will be played on Sunday, with Portland looking to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

The post Blazers Win Longest Game in NBA Playoff History appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

However, it appears that this isn’t going to happen. Mike Malone’s boys are losing pace, and No. 8 seed looks a bit distant from them. Experts were predicting that Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are going to become a wonder duo, which is going to guide the team from Colorado through the challenges of the NBA.

That turned out to be true at some point, but not anymore. Indeed these two young guys had a superb season, but the support from the rest of the players was just too weak. And when we add the fact that Paul Millsap picked up an early-season injury, which removed him from the court for a long time, it is more clear why the team isn’t doing great.

Also, we need to say that Nuggets executives made several bad decisions which hugely affected the current state of the franchize. One of the best rookies this season, and the undisputed leaders of Utah Jazz, Donovan Mitchell, was drafted by the Nuggets, and then traded to Salt Lake City for Trey Lyles and pick No. 24, Tyler Lydon. So at this stage, Malone and his team are not capable of being serious playoff contenders.

The post Do Denver Nuggets have what it takes for the playoffs? 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.

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.

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.

Never in the history had a longer game been played in the history of the league’s playoffs, an exceptional mark considering the many years during which the NBA has been around.

Portland took home a 140-137 win in a game that was dramatic until the last second.

The Blazers took a 138-136 lead after a Rodney Hood three-pointer with 18 seconds left. However, Portland fouled Denver forward Nikola Jokic in the waning seconds.

The Nuggets’ big man went to the line with a chance to tie the game and made the first shot. However, he missed the second free throw and Portland held a 138-137 lead.

Seth Curry was then fouled and buried two free throws to seal Portland’s dramatic win after sixty-eight minutes of game time.

CJ McCollum led Portland with 41 points, and Damian Lillard also chipped in 28.

Despite missing late free throws, Jokic had a monster game for Denver, scoring 33 points, gathering 18 rebounds, and dishing out 14 assists.

Game 4 will be played on Sunday, with Portland looking to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

The post Blazers Win Longest Game in NBA Playoff History appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

However, it appears that this isn’t going to happen. Mike Malone’s boys are losing pace, and No. 8 seed looks a bit distant from them. Experts were predicting that Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are going to become a wonder duo, which is going to guide the team from Colorado through the challenges of the NBA.

That turned out to be true at some point, but not anymore. Indeed these two young guys had a superb season, but the support from the rest of the players was just too weak. And when we add the fact that Paul Millsap picked up an early-season injury, which removed him from the court for a long time, it is more clear why the team isn’t doing great.

Also, we need to say that Nuggets executives made several bad decisions which hugely affected the current state of the franchize. One of the best rookies this season, and the undisputed leaders of Utah Jazz, Donovan Mitchell, was drafted by the Nuggets, and then traded to Salt Lake City for Trey Lyles and pick No. 24, Tyler Lydon. So at this stage, Malone and his team are not capable of being serious playoff contenders.

The post Do Denver Nuggets have what it takes for the playoffs? appeared first on yoursportspot.com.