The persevering Nuggets have only one more comeback remaining.
On the 82nd day in the bubble, they unfortunately and finally come back home to Denver.
The Comeback Kids losing to LeBron James, who indeed played like The King on Saturday night, and the Lakers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals may seem like the worst of times, but this playoff run was the best of times.
After a fairy tale of two series, the Nuggets ultimately were undone because Jamal Murray was hurting badly, Nikola Jokic was in foul trouble again and rarely in the flow, and James dominated with 38 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. In his triple-double-trouble over the Nugs, he had only one point less than Jokic and Murray.
Yet the Nuggets could walk off the bubble basketball court Saturday with heads held high, a mile high.
Despite all their injury, foul and offensive problems, the Nuggets came back time and again – and were tied twice and down only four points with 4 ½ minutes remaining in their postseason. They were defeated 117-107, but not defeated physically or mentally.
For a team that began its journey at Disney World with only eight players and couldn’t even hold an intrasquad scrimmage, the Nuggets made themselves and Colorado proud, and the future is as bright as a Tesla lightning machine in Colorado Springs.
It took seven elimination games before the Nuggets surrendered. They rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Jazz and recovered from being down 3-1 to the Clippers to win to reach the conference finals against the Lakers. Their feat was a first in NBA history.
Then the Nuggets came back again after a 2-0 deficit to beat the championship favorites. To be eliminated in five games is nothing to be ashamed of. If Anthony Davis hadn’t hit a last-second three-pointer to win Game 2, this playoff series would be continuing to a sixth, or even seventh, game.
The Nuggets get to rest for a while, then start preparing for what should be an even better 2020-2021 season – when, maybe, the fans will be able to attend a game at The Can, and at last, salute the 2019-2020 Nuggets.
As the only person who has been covering the Nuggets since they changed their nickname from Rockets to Nuggets and changed their leagues from the ABA to NBA, I know this is the pinnacle in franchise history.
For the fourth time the Nuggets advanced to the Western Conference Finals. The accomplishment happened in 1997-98 when the Nuggets were NBA neophytes, 1984-85 and 2008-2009 and 2020. Those other seasons were sensational, but don’t surpass the success of the Nuggets over the past month.
These young players grew up right before our eyes and drew the respect of the Jazz, Clippers, Lakers, James and the entire NBA nation. Nobody will disrespect or underappreciate the Nuggets when they return. They definitely are among the league elite and a title contender.
Jerami Grant is a star-in-waiting. He personally brought the Nuggets back from the brink in the second quarter.
Actually, the Nuggets had stronger depth than all three opponents they played in the postseason, and they certainly will add a piece or two – and have one in place in center Bol Bol.
The Nuggets won nine postseason games. They are ‘this’ close, but not quite in a class yet with the Lakers, who are 7-0 in playoff series and 25-8 in victories in the postseason against the Nuggets.
Check back next year, though.
James hugged the Nuggets afterward because he knows.
The ‘78 Nuggets lost in the conference finals to the SuperSonics and bowed to the Lakers in ’85, 2009 and in the past week.
The Nuggets were third best in the NBA’s most bizarre and disruptive season, which was interrupted by Covid-19 and resumed with only a few regular-season games and in a bubble at Disney World. Nuggets players were struck down by the coronavirus and injuries. They had to leave nine players at home when they reconvened in Florida. Gary Harris returned to the court late; Will Barton never could play and even was forced to leave the bubble for treatment.
But the Nuggets were courageous to the very end and certainly deserve more than a bubblegummed participation ribbon.
Although Saturday night wasn’t the best of time for the Nuggets, they always will be honored for the greatest time of all in the postseason.
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