AS expected, the Nuggets greeted Media Day at the start of the week with an eye towards repeating as National Basketball Association champions. Even as they saw potential contenders load up on talent and had their own roster stripped of vital cogs, they remained upbeat in regard to their chances. And why would they not stay confident? They have the same starting five led by reigning Most Valuable Player awardee Nikola Jokic and backstopped by playoff powerhouse Jamal Murray. Not to be underestimated is the capacity of head coach Michael Malone to coax the most out of his charges through astute maneuverings on and off the court.
Interestingly, Jokic lamented the absence of ample time to enjoy his summer in hometown Sambor, Serbia; he deadpanned that he was instead compelled to go through two and a half months’ worth of additional matches. Yet, as he pondered the possibility of carving another long path to the crown, he made his objective clear: “Just to win as [many] games as possible and try to have fun during that period. Go get the opportunity to win another [title].” And, needless to say, Murray was just as invested in defending their spot atop the league. “I just think we can do it again.”
First things first, though, and the endeavor includes a set-to against the Lakers three weeks from now to open their 2023-24 campaign. Bent on exacting revenge on the day they will also be receiving their rings, their Western Conference foes kept receipts of perceived slights from their end throughout the offseason. If Malone is to be believed, however, they’ve already moved on. “They’re talking about us? That was what, four months ago?” True, but he couldn’t resist the opportunity for another jab. “If they’re still worried about us, that’s on them.”
In any case, the Nuggets will continue to have targets on their backs. That’s the curse that comes with being pacesetters. They’re ready to take on all comers, though. Whether from the Celtics, Bucks, Lakers, Suns, or Warriors, the challenges won’t be anything they haven’t seen. And as Malone has underscored with his pronouncements in the locker room and in public, the biggest obstacles to their success are those they themselves construct. In other words, they’re right where they want to be, confident and primed to prove they deserve to be deemed the best of the best.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
